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whichever  appliaa. 


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et  de  haut  an  bas,  an  prenant  le  nombre 
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SHEIK-EL-BELAD. 

Ancient  Egyptian  Wood  Carving.    (Circa  4000  B.C.) 


»iv 


.-^^  ~ ,.  MiiiliiM^^iittXiii^i^ 


Easy  Lessons  in  the  Art  of 

Practical  Wood  Carving 


SUITED  TO  THE  WANTS  OF  CARPENTERS 

JOINERS,  AMATEURS  AND  PROFES- 

SIONAL  WOOD  CARVERS 

BEING  A  PRACTICAL  MANUAL  AND  GUIDE  TO  ALL  KINDS 

OF  WOOD  CARVING.  INCLUDING  CHIP  CARVING 

FLAT  CARVING,  INCISED  WORK  AND  FIGURE 

CARVING,  TOGETHER  WITH  AN  ESSAY  ON 

THE    PRINCIPLES   OF   DESIGN   FOR 

CARVED  WORK  OF  ALL  KINDS 

By 
FRED  T.    HODGSON,    M.O.A.A. 

AUTHOR  OF 

"Pr.ctic.1  Tre.t..e  on  the  U«  of  the  Steel  Square,"  "Modern  C.rpentry,"  "Com- 

mon.Sen,e  Stair  Building  and  Handrailing,"  "Drawing  Self-Taught  "  "Hard- 

wood  nnUher,"  "Modern   E.Umator  and  Contractor'.  Guide"  etc 


Over  Two  Hundred  Illustrations,  Diagrams  and  Designs 


CHICAGO,  U.S.A. 
FREDERICK  J.  DRAKE  &  CO.,  PUBLISHERS 

1905 


COPYRIGHT,  1905 

BY 

FREDERICK  J.  DRAKE  &  COMPANY 

CHICAGO,  U.  S.  A. 


TTPOORAPHT  BT 
IIABSH,  AITKEN   &  CUKTI8  COMPANY,  CHICAOO 


OSttUIiHO 


Ci.'i-'iL'X-T  .i . 


A 


PREFACE 

The  author  and  compiler  of  this  work  prepared  a 

series  of  articles  on  Carving  for  "The  National  Builder" 
a  few  years  ago,  and  also  a  series  on  the  same  subject 
for      The    Carpenter,"    the   official    organ   of   "The 
Brotherhood  of  American  Carpenters."     Since  these 
articles  were  prepared,  the  writer  has  received  many 
requests  asking  that  the  articles  be  put  in  book  form 
and  in  compliance  with  these  requests  I  have  selected 
from  these  articles  what  I  consider  to  be  the  better 
portions,  have  amended  many  of  them,  rewritten  others 
and  added  much  new  matter,  for  which  I  am  indebted 
to     The  Woodworker,"  "Wood  Carving,"  by  George 
Jack,  "Wood  Carving  for  Amateurs,"  by  David  Den- 
ning, also  to  several  other  standard  works  on  wood 
carving,  so  that  the  reader  of  this  book -although  he 
may  have  read  the  articles  referred  to-will  have  an 
almost  entirely  new  phase  of  the  subject  placed  before 
him. 

Besides  culling  the  best  from  the  articles  referred 
to  and  embodying  it  in  the  present  work,  I  have 
selected  from  many  sources  such  matter,  instructions 
and  illustrations  as  I  thought  would  be  suited  to  the 
wants  of  the  American  workman  who  aspires  to  become 
a  carver  of  wood.  The  designs  in  the  first  portion  of 
the  work  are  purposely  made  simple  and  easy  to  work 
Ifforts^'  *°  '^^"^  '^^  workman  steadily  on  to  greater 

I  have  gone  to  some  length  in  describing  the  tools 
required,  the  methods  of  using  them,  and  the  care  they 

9 


'S.'fSnJHesfr 


6  PREFACE 

demand,  giving  such  rules  as  long  and  successful 
experience  has  taught  as  the  best.  This  portion  of  the 
work  is,  perhaps,  the  most  important  to  the  young 
student,  for  without  a  thorough  knowledge  of  the  tools 
and  a  complete  mastery  over  them,  no  person  can  ever 
become  a  good  wood  carver;  indeed,  a  complete 
control  of  all  the  tools  necessary  in  this  fascinating  art 
is  in  itself  an  education  of  a  high  order. 

The  section  on  "ChipCarving,"  with  the  illustrations 
and  designs  given,  is  in  a  measure  a  complete  treatise 
m  itself,  and  may  be  reckoned  as  such  by  the  amateur 
workman  who  does  not  care  to  follow  up  the  art  to  a 
higher  plane. 

In  a  work  of  this  kind  our  province  is  to  keep  as 
much  as  possible  to  things  appertaining  to  architectural 
work.  Carved  woodwork,  as  an  accessory  to  archi- 
tecture, is  an  ornamental  and  refined  detail  that 
presents  an  infinite  charm  to  the  cultivated  mind. 

It  is  a  mistake,  and  a  serious  one,  to  carve  wood  too 
fragile,  or  indeed  fragile  at  all.  There  is  no  real  skill, 
in  point  of  fact,  in  too  much  undercutting.  In  figure 
work,  too,  uplifted  and  extended  hands  or  arms,  and 
especially  pointing  fingers,  are  a  weakness  and  a 
snare.  Much  anxious  labor  is  spent  in  their  creation, 
and  is  simply  thrown  away,  yea,  and  worse,  for  in  a 
few  short  years,  maybe  only  weeks  or  days,  those  pro- 
jecting parts,  obtruding  from  niche  or  newel,  will  surely 
be  knocked  off  by  some  careless  duster.  Of  course 
the  broken  pieces  maybe  mended,  stuck  together  with 
glue,  but  is  there  anything  more  humiliating  to  an 
ambitious  craftsman  than  to  see  a  statuette,  the  project 
of  days  or  weeks,  thus  mutilated?  Yet  whose  is  the 
fault?  Not  altogether  that  of  the  careless  one  who 
does    the    actual    damage.     Surely    a     much    larger 


PREFACE  7 

amount  of  blame  must  belong  to  the  unthinking  and 
unmindful  workman  who,  forgetful  of  everything  but 
the  fact  that-in  his  own  eyes-he  is  doing  something 
wonderful  upon  his  bench,  makes  that  which  cannot 
be  expected  to  have  a  long  life  in  the  position  for 
which  it  is  destined. 

A  boy— a  girl  for  that  matter— cannot  begin  to  learn 
the  art  of  wood  carving   too  early.      Thirteen  years 
old  IS  a  good  age;  fourteen  quite  late  enough.     It  is 
a  great  mistake  to  keep  a  youngster  at  schoof  until  he 
begins  to  fancy  he  knows  more  than  his  father  or  any 
one  else.     We  never  knew  any  one      lo  first  went  to 
the  trade,  say  at  eighteen  or  nineteen,  turn  out  really 
well.     A  boy  learning  in  a  good  shop  (if  an  apt  pupil) 
by  the  lime  he  is  of  age  feels  compete.n  to  hold  his 
own  with  any  ordinary  workman.     That  is  one  of  the 
grandest  and    haj^piest   feelings    a    young    man    can 
possess  when  starting  the  battle  of  life  on  his  own 
account. 

It  is  a  curious  but  well-known  practical  fact  that  a 
youth  wh.j  has  served  a  time  at  wood  carving  (if  he 
possesses  ordinary   appli^-ation)  can   always  learn  to 
carve  stone  or    marble    afterwards,    and   with   a   few 
years'  practice  will  be  able  to  hold  his  own  with  pay 
follower  of  either  of  the    latter    branches.      On  the 
other  hand,  we  never  knew  a  stone  or  marble  carver 
who  could  carve  wood  properly.     Some  of  them  moy 
think  they  can,   but  they  really  cannot  do  it.      The 
knack  of  treating  the  graix  in  wood  must  always  be 
acquired    in    youth,  or  it    vill  never   be   thoroughly 
mastered  later  on.     The  stone  or  marble  carver  v/ho 
tries  his  hand  at  wood  tears  rather  than  cuts  the  stuff, 
and  when  he  finds  he  cannot  do  it  properlv,  swears,  and 
there's  an  end  of  it!     Some  of   the  most  successful 


I       r-  -^i^ 


8 


PREFACE 


artists  who  ever  lived  commenced  their  brilliant  careers 
as  wood  carvers.  *"«rcers 

The  good  carpenter  finds    no    trouble  whatever  in 

cutt  n5  "7  '"""P  ^'""^^^^  '^'■^  knowledge  of 
cutting  and    manipulating    woodwork    in  a    hundred 

iZ7L  t  H  ''^'T''  '■""•  '^'^^  ^^  ^^^  "-^  °f  tool  is 
cale.  ?'  '''^'  '"'  ^'^^  ^*^'P  ^^^"^  go^d  joinery  or 
cabinet  makmg  to  carving  is  comparatively  an  easy 
one  and  we  may  say  right  here  that  this  book  is  pre- 
pared  more  especially  for  the  carpenter,  joiner    and 

tha^"f  Tt"    ^':  '""^  ^^'"^^^•"'   °^  woodworking 
than  for  those  who  intend    to    follow  wood  carving 

alone  as  a  profession,  though  the  work  cont.:  ,s  much 

that    will    interest    and     instruct     the     professional 

'"lilt  t^^b  "  ul  """^^.  ^^  '^^''^"^  -^  '•"--^-• 
Ihat  the  book  has  its  faults  and  shortcomings  goes 

without    saying.     What    book    has    not?    Buf  if  1 

thought  to  be  as  good  as  any  other  like  book  on  the 
sub  ect    3„,   .3    ^^^  ,  ^^^^p^^^   ^^^   .^  ^  e 

partcu  a,s  ,s  superior  to  other  books  of  the  kind. 
Ihat  It  IS  more  suited  to  the  wants  of  the  ordinarv 
woodworker  the  editor  feels  confident,  knowt^  ' 
he  does,  just  exactly  what  (heir  wants  are  in  this 
direction  and  on  this  ground,  along  with  its  oth 
good  .juaht.es,  the  book  is  placed  in  the  hands  o  is 
readers  with  an  assurance  that  it  wi:i  be  welcomed  bv 
thousands  who  have  -ead  the  writer's  other  works.       " 

Fred  T.  Hodgson. 


COLLINGWOOD,  ONTARIO,  April   1st,    1905. 


:.as:M'^''w  M*!Sgpimi3nm.-\<  -v-"^"- 


Practical  Wood  Carving 


INTRODUCTORY 


JHarry  Hems,  the  celebrated  English  carver,   says: 
No  doubt,  as  a  matter  of  pojition  it  is  better  to  be  a 
good  wood  carver  than  a  good  joiner,  but  a  poor  carver 
IS  a  long  way  down  the  scale  below  the  handy  carpen- 
ter.    It  IS  not  every  one  that  has  the  natural  'gift'  to 
become  a  really  clever  carver  of  wood.     Parents  should 
ever  be  careful    to  give    their    sons  several   months' 
probat.on   ere  the  fate  of    the   youngster  is  decided 
upon.     If  a  boy  has  no  real   talent  for  wood  carving 
he  never  ought  to  be  apprenticed  to  the   profession 
for  hard  work  and  the  most  diligent  app   cation  will 
rarely  make  i:p  for  lack  of  natural  ability.     Of  all  the 
many  hundred  businesses  that  go  strictly  hand 'in  hand 
with  the  bu.ld.ng  trade,  that  of  a  figure  carver  in  wood 
or  architectural  purposes  has  its  fewest  representatives. 

L!^    r?K  """'   '"  '"    ^"^'^"^  ''  <he   present 

moment  there  are  not  forty  men  who  can  carve  even 
decent  figures   in   wood.     The   position,   therefore,   of 
tl^ese  skilled  craftsmen  is  an  envied  one;  there  is  a 
constant  demand  for    their    services;    they  command 
good  money,  and  their  occupation,  always  varied  and 
never  representing  really  hard  manual  labor,  is  one  of 
the  most  delightful  pursuits  a  man  can  possibly  follow 
Ordinary  wood  carvers  do  not  pretend  to  be  masters 
of  the  figure,  and  when  at  rare  intervals  they  attempt 
It  the  resu    j  are  seldom    successful.     A    great  gulf 


II 


•i.f,v'«FVJi'»'-:raB 


12 


PRACTICAL  WOOD  CARVING 


exists  between  figure  and  foliage  work.  For  whilst 
the  fol.age  carver  is  quite  lost  upon  the  human  form 
divine  when  he  attempts  to  produce  it  in  wood,  so  the 
figure  carver  is  almost  equally  at  sea  when  he  turns 
h.s  hand  to  ornament.  If  he  tries  ii.  and  he  generally 
does  so  hesitatingly,  he  is  rarely  successful  " 

He  also  gives  some  excellent  advice  to  beginners. 

which  .s  deemed  worthy  of  being  quoted  at  this  point. 

Always  stand  to  your  work,  and  don't  lean  over  it 

oo  much.     Too  much  leaning  over  tends  to  laziness. 

I  have  seen  small  seats  in  the  top  of  a  spiked  stick. 

The  latter  steadies  itself  on  the  floor,  and  the  carver 

will  s.t  thereon,  work,  and  swing  his  body  round  with 

It  as  occasion  requires.     But  it  has  not  a  good  look 

about  It,   and  does  not  stamp   a  diligent  and  smart 

"Although  it  is  a  good  rule  always  to  do  work  in  the 
solid.  It  often  happens  that  patenx.  etc..  are  put  into 
hollows  after  the  latter  are  run  through.      The  best 
way  to  carve  them,   under  these  circumstances,  is  to 
have  a  hoi  ow  made  the  same  size  in  pine,  and  glue 
each  individual  rosette  therei..  with  paper  between  the 
p.ne  and  the  material    carved.      After    the   latter   is 
finished  It  can  be  lifted  out  by  a  chisel  as  easily  as 
sheUing  peas    as  the    paper    splits   at   the    slightest 
purchase  of  the  tool.     It  is.  however,  always  a  matter 
of   intense   regret   to   me  to    see    rosettes   stuck    on 
Everything  should   be  cut  out  of  the  solid  wood      li 
•s  this  wholesome  practice   that   makes   our  average 
work    so    much   better    than    the    best    produced    in 
Belgium  and  Germany.     In  the  latter  two  countries 
U  seems  to  me.   nothing  is  in  the  solid  that  can  be 
glued  on.  ' 

These  hints  and  suggestions  given  out  by  a  veteran 


INTRODUCTORY 


13 

carver  are  worthy  of  the  serious  consideration  of  every 

person  who  intends  to  try  his  or  her  hand  at  the  arT 

Carving  .s  an  art  in  which  various  advantages  are 

combined,  for  not  only  is  this  art  beautiful  and  excel- 

light  of  a  stepping  stone  to  greater  things.  In  proof 
of  this  we  need  only  glance  at  the  history  of  some  of 
the  most  famous  painters  and  sculptors,  many  of 
whom,  we  read,  rose  to  greatness  from  the  practice  of 
the  comparatively  humble  art  of  wood  carving 

It  IS  an  employment  which  can  be  taken  up  at  anv 
time,  and  can  be  as  easily  relinquished;  for  the  carver's 
fingers  when  once  facility  has  been  learnt,  do  not 
easily  lose  their  cunning  from  disuse.  Although  con- 
siderable practice,  combined  with  natural  a-,  fude  is 
necessary  to  enable  any  one  to  become  a  re.  .y  skilled 
carver,  the  time  spent  in  cultivating  this  talent  will  be 
by  no  means  wasted,  even  should  nothing  beyond  the 
merest  mediocrity  be  attained. 

ordmar.ly  skillful  person  to  do  simple  carving,  which 
for  the  encouragement  of  beginners,   it  may  be  slid 
.3    often    as    pleasing    as    n.ore    pretentious    efforts 
especially  when  these  are  not  accompanied  by  great' 
manual  dexterity.  ^  ^ 

On  the  score  of  small  cost  much  might  be  urged  in 
favor  of  wood  carving  as  a  recreative  art,  but.  bfyond 

"ect'arraTr  '°  ^'^  ''''  ''''  '  '^^^^  ^^'^^  ''- 
here    7f.     ^^^,^«"^'"f""'^ent.   little  need  be  said 
here.     A  few  dollars  will  procure  all  the  tools  that  are 
really  requisite  for  a  beginning,  and  as  the  carver  lu 
.f  he  be  wise,  only  get  others  as  he  requires  them,  the 
additional  expenditure  fs  hardlv  fHt 

When    discussing    the    neces'sary    "plant."     which 


^  1  -«ti*. » • 


M  PRACTICAL  WOOD  CARVING 

includes  the  tools,  materials,  and  everything  which  is 
required    m    setting  up   the    workshop,  various   little 
makeshifts  and   expedients   by  which  much  may  be 
contrived  without  any  serious  outlay  will  be  suggested 
Wood  carving,  which  at   first   sight   may  seem   to 
resemble    in    some    degrees     the     more    mechanical 
employment    of   carpentry,   nevertheless  differs  from 
It    m    this    important    particular  that,    unlike    purely 
manual  pursuits  which  can  be  mastered  by  any  one 
possessing  a  fair  a,..ount  of  intelligence  and  mechanical 
skill.  It  demands  ,n  addition  to  these  qualities  a  certain 
lee  ing,     or  in  other  words,   talent;  this  "feeline  " 
or  whatever  we  may  choose  to  call  it,  it  is  obviously 
.mposs.ble  to  teach;    the  germ  must  at  least  to  some 
degree  be  innate  in  the  artist;  much,   however,   may 
be  done  in  the  way  of  fostering  and  encouraging  it. 

Although  a  knowledge  of  carpentry,  as  before  stated, 
will  be  an  aid  to  the  wood  carver,  it  is  not  essential. 
The  skill  Ml  this  line  need  be  but  rudimentary,  though 
the  greater  the  acquaintance  with  it  so  much  the  easier 
wiint  be  to  become  an  adept  in  carving  work  of  all 

But   it  nnst  be  understood   that  a  person  may  be 
highly  skilled  ,n  carpentry  without  having  a  particle 
of  the  taste  or  talent  requisite  for   artistic    carving 
However  great  the  natural  talent  maybe,  it  is  three 
parts  wasted  if  it  be  fettered  by  clumsy  finge-s.  and 
therefore  those  who  suffer   from    this    defect  should 
make  every  effort  to  overcome  and  correct  it      It  is 
also  well   to  acquire    a    knowledge    of   the   different 
woods  employed,   their  nature  and  various  qualities 
and  the  purposes  to    which    they  are    best  adapted' 
Also  It  would  be  advisable  to    learn  the  names  and 
purposes  of  the  c(,mmon  tools  in  use  amongst  carpen- 


-i^'Fnrz^m^. 


INTRO ')UCT(JRY 


»! 


ter»   together  with  the  ordinary  technical  term,   such 
as  doveta.l.n,.   nv.tisin,.    rabhctin,.  and  suT  '  "ke 
Ey  these  means  the  carver  will    be  enabled  to  .iv^ 
clear    and    mtcll.gible   directions    in    refjardVoth. 
materials,  etc..  which  will  be  required  in  the  co    se  of 
the  work.  --"ist-  oi 

Whik-  on  Ihh  subject  i(  may  be  n,  wdl  (o  say  here 

once  for  all  ,  ,a.  „  is  no.  th,-  i n,i„„  ,„  ,h.,  ,„|,^J" 

pages  lo  explam  ,he  nam.  ,  and  use  of  tools  »-l,  "[d^ 
not  specially  pertain  .„  the  carver's  art.  Those  which 
are  used  by  other  worker,  in  wood  m.iy  be  a„,l 
undoubtedly  are  useful  to  the  carver  esneciiL  ?f 
as  many  amateurs  do,  he  wishes  to  ''mX  ''  hi^ 
own  work.  I,  he  cannot  do  so  there  Ts  trcly  any 
difficulty  ,n  getting  what  i,  required  done  by  a  cabinet 
make,,  „h„  ,,  ,„  ^  ^^^^^^^^^^  ^^  ^  or  L.^ll 

as  he  „  more  accustomed  to  small  work.     As  m   ny 
ad.es  now    take  up   carving  as  an   amusement      hi^ 
book  w,ll  at  any  rate  commend  itself  to  them 

A  though  ,t  ,s  impossible  to  acquire  skill,  or  what 
has  been  previously  referred  to  as  ■■feelin,.,"    rom    his 

h:.i;ed:':r.r-"'-  n-^'^'"'' "•^  '-«'"n-w™  j 

ra,L  h        ■  ,    ■  '"    '^'  ''''«<:"l"---=.  or  perhaps  it  should 
rather  be  sa,d  started  on  the  right  wav.     If  Ihe  dh-ec 
...onsa,e  carefully  attended  to  and  put  in  practice  -  ere" 
ta    eV°Grea?'kn   't  ""''""'"  -'--inV' 

:r;:i.rworna„.?abiiitv-daSi^'™- 


sss^sxr 


16 


PRACTICAL  WOOD  CARVING 


styles  of  carving.  However,  the. :  are  some  tools 
which  are  common  to  all  kinds  of  work  and  it  is  these 
I  will  deal  with  first,  and  take  in  the  others  as  they 
are  required  for  the  work  undtr  discussion. 

In  the  last  chapter  of  this  work  it  is  my  intention 
not  only  to  deal  with  carvings  alone,  but  to  show  a 
number  of  examples  of  useful  carved  work  put 
together,  and  give  instructions  for  putting  it  together. 
This,  while  not  perhaps  of  much  use  to  the  expert 
joiner  or  cabinetmaker,  will  prove  useful  to  the 
amateur  and  the  new  beginner. 

I  have  thought  that  these  few  preliminary  remarks 
might  be  necessary  so  that  the  text  following  may  not 
be  padded  with  the  explanations  already  given. 


tfijV: 


4*5 


2?5! 


f.A. 


■■■tti 


CHAPTER  I 

CAKVERS"    TOOLS  AND   APPLIANCES 

We  will  suppose  that  the  student  is  anxious  to  make 
a  practical  ccn-.mencement  in  his  stui  ies.     The  first 
consideration  will  be  to  procure  a  set  of  tools,  and  we 
propose  in  this  place  to    describe    those  which  will 
answer  the  purpose  of  a  beginner,  as  well  as  to  look 
generally  at  others  in  common  use  among  craftsmen. 
Ihe  tools  used  by  carvers  consist  for  the  most  part 
of  chisels  and  gouges  of  different  shapes  and  si^es. 
rhe  number  of  tools  required  by  professional  carvers 
for  one  piece  of  work    varies   in    propo-tion    to   the 
elaborateness  of  the  carving  to  be  done.     They  may 
use  from  half  a  dozen  on  simple  wo.k  up  to  twenty  or 
thirty  for  the    more    intricate   carvings,   this  number 
being  a  selection  out  of  a  larger  stock  renchin^:  perhaps 
as  many  as  a  hundred  or  more.     Many  of  these  tools 
vary  only  in  size  and  sweep  of  cutting  edge.     Thus, 
chisels  and  gouges  are  to  be  had  ran^in;,'  f-om  y,  of  an 
inch  to  I  inch  wide,  with  curves  or  "sweeps"  in  each 
size  graduated  between  a  semicircle  to  a  curve  almost 
flat,     l^ew  carvers,   however,  possess  such  a  complete 
stock  of  tools  as  would  be  rt..resented  bv  one  of  each 
size  and  shape    manufactured;    such    a  'thing   is   not 
required;   an  average  number  of.   say,  seventy  tools, 
will  always  give  sufficient  variety  of  size  and  sweep  for 
general  purposes;  few  pieces  of  work  will  reo-ire  the 
use  of  more  than  half  of  these  in  its  execution/ 
The  beginner,  however,  need  not  possess  more  than 

17 


i8 


PRACTICAL  WOOD  CARVING 


from  twelve  to    twenty-four,  and    may  even  make  a 
start  with  fewer.     It  is  a  good  plan  to  learn  the  uses 
of  a  few  tools  before  acquiring  a  complete  set,  as  by 
this  means,  when  difficulties  are  felt  in  the  execution 
of  work,  a  tool  of  known  description  is  sought  for  and 
purchased  with   a    foreknowledge  of    its  advantages. 
This  is  the  surest  way  to  gain  a  distinct  knowledge 
of  the  varieties  of  each  kind  of  tool  and  their  appli- 
cation to  the  different  purposes  of  design. 

It  is  not  at  all  uncommon  for  those  who  have  not 
devoted  any  attention  to  practical  carving  to  imagine 
that  the  work  is  done  with  "some  kind  of  a  knife." 
Let  ihe  beginner  at  once  dismiss  this  notion  from  his 
mind,  for  with  the  exception  of  a  special  one  for  chip 
carving,  to  which  a  chapter  is  devoted,  a  knife  is  not 
used. 

The  ordinary  cutting  tools  are  chisels  and  gouges  of 
many  shapes  and  sizes.  A  complete  set  of  them  is  not 
in  the  least  necessary  for  a  beginner. 

The  various  carving  tools  most  needful,  though  few 
in  number,  must  be  selected  with  great  care  and  judg- 
ment, the  quality  far  outweighing  the  quantity;  indeed, 
a  few,  let  us  say  twelve  or  eighteen,  really  good  tools' 
well  cared  for,  and  with  which  you  are  thoroughly 
acquainted,  will  produce  good  work  at  first. 

They  are  to  be  bought  in  "sets,"  but  as  these  are 
specially  prepared  for  amateurs  they  cannot  be 
indiscrim'nately  recommended.  Some  of  them  arc- 
good,  but  many  are  such  as  no  experienced  carver 
could  use  with  satisfactory  results.  These  words  of 
caution  are  deemed  necessary,  as  it  is  by  no  means 
uncommon  for  the  amateur  sets  to  be  much  more 
pleasing  in  appearance  than  the  more  workmanlike 
tools.     These,  in  comparison,  are  often  rough  looking, 


CARVERS'  TOOLS  AND  APPLIANCES    19 

but  the  quality  is  generally  better,  and  the  original 
cos  htt  e.  .f  any.  greater.  Good  carving  tools  afe  to 
be  had  from  any  respectable  tool  dealer,  if  a  fair  price 
IS  paid  for  them.  and.  as  a  guide  to  price,  tool  dealers' 
catalogues  may  be  consulted  with  advantage 
As  before  stated,  two  dozen  tools  are  as  many  as 

b7rfTun"       '  u'"'"^  "P-  ^''^^^'^  '  ^°-"  would 
be  a  far  better  number  to  begin  with,  as  much  work  • 

required     "'  ""''   ''''"'  '"^  °*''"  ""  ^^  '^^'^  ^^ 

J' t  k'^k"''  *°  '^^  ""''^  "'■*^'"^y  what  the  selection 
should  be.  but  as  the  most  useful  cools  for  ordinary 
work  are  flat  gouges,  four  of  them.  >^,  i/.  H  and  J 
inch  sizes,  will  be  a  fair  proportion  '  ^'  ^''  ^  ^"^  "^ 
These  tools  are  almost  flat  like  chisels,  but  instead 
of  bemg  quite  so   have  a  slight  curve.     Between  the 
flat  gouge  and  that  with  the  "quickest"  curve  there 
are  several  with  varying  degrees  of  sweep,  and  two  of 
a  medium  quickness  may  be  added   in.   say  H   inch 
size,  as  well  as  one  of  the  "quickest  " 

These  latter,  when  of  the  smallest  size,  are  known 
as  veiners.  from  their  frequent  use  in  carving  the  vebs 
or  small   grooves    in  leaves.     Till    some   measure   o 
facility  has  been  gained  with  larger  tools  their  employ- 
ment will  be  found  difficult. 

Chisels  are  of  two  kinds,  those  with  the  ends  ground 
straight  across  and  those  with  bevel  ends.  These  latter 
are  known  as  skew  or  corner  chisels,  and  next  to  the 

cllT^n  "■'  r\^'  '^'  '"^^^  "^^f"'  t°°l^  of  the 

(TinrU^       "^  t'^'J"  ^'"^  °^  '^'''^  '■"  ^he  smallest 
(tV  inch)  and  %  inch  sizes  will  be  useful,  but  in  these 

as  indeed  in  other  tools,  the  selection  must  chiefly  de- 
pend on  the  style  of  carving  the  worker  prefers 
A  parting  or.  as  it  is  commonly  called,  a  V  tool  is 


20 


PRACTICAL  WOOD  CARVING 


'%:*% 


another  useful  one,  and  is  almost  irdispensable,  but  at 
first  it  is  difficult  to  use  properly.  The  reason  for  its 
familiar  designation  will  be  recognized.  The  J4  inch 
size  will  be  most  useful  to  the  beginner. 

All  the  tools  that  will  be  required  at  first  are  what 
are  known  as  "straight,"  All  varieties  are,  however, 
made  in  both  "bent"  and  "curved."  Their  object  is 
to  allow  of  their  edges  cutting  in  places  which  could 
not  be  reached  with  the  straight  tools.  The  curved 
variety  is  of  comparatively  litJe  use,  as  the  beginner 
will  find  that  almost  everything,  he  is  likely  to  attempt 
can  be  done  with  straight  or  bent  tools. 

If  any  bent  tool  is  got  with  the  first  lot  of  tools  it 
should  be  a  bent  chisel  of  the  smallest  size,  as  it  will 
sometimes  be  useful  in  cutting  away  the  ground  in 
places  which  could  not  well  be  reached  by  the  other 
tools. 

In  choosing  these  tools  do  not  be  too  easily  satisfied, 
or  inclined  to  think  that  the  first  that  is  seen  will  suit, 
but  rather  take  time  and  examine  each  separately  until 
those  of  the  right  sort  are  found;  for,  as  in  other 
matters,  there  are  tools  and  tools.  Choose,  then, 
those  that  are  long  and  slender,  and  of  which  the  points 
when  pressed  on  the  table  feel  somewhat  springy;  they 
should  also  be  slightly,  almost  imperceptibly,  bent  up 
towards  the  end;  this  curve  must  not  be  exaggerated, 
or  it  will  weaken  the  tool. 

Sets  of  tools  for  amateurs  are  generally  sold 
handled,  but  for  ordinary  carvers'  tools  the  handles  arc 
supplied  separately.  They  can  be  fitted  on  by  the 
tool  dealer;  if,  however,  the  carver  prefers  to  do  this, 
great  care  must  be  taken  to  set  them  in  very  straight, 
as  otherwise  the  tool  will  not  work  truly.  The  handle 
itself  should  be  small  but  long,  about  one-half  of  the 


%'    v' 


CARVERS'  TOOLS  AND  APPLIANCES    21 

whole  length;  this  is  especially  necessary  in  those  tools 
with  which  a  mallet  is  used,  in  order  to  have  plenty  of 
room  for  the  hand  to  grasp  it  without  fear  of  being 
hit.     The  length    of    handle    for   the   smaller   tools, 
which  are  chiefly  used  without  the   mallet,   must  be 
regulated  by  the  size  of  the  hand,  the  forefinger  of 
which  should  rest  on  or  a  little  below  the  hilt,  while 
the  butt  end  rests  in  and  is  push -d  forward  by  the 
hollow  of  the  pa/m.     The  form  of  ready-made  handles 
is  generally  round,  but    an   octagonal   or   hexagonal 
shape,  with  the  thickest  part  in  the  middle  rather  than 
at  .he  end,  is  a  very  useful  variety,  as  it  thus  affords 
a   firmer  grasp  for  the  fingers.      Handles    should   be 
made  of  some  hard  wood,  such  as  ebony,  rosewood  or 
box,  or  indeed  any  wood  capable  of  being  made  very 
smooth  and  highly  polished;  if  otherwise,  the  palm  of 
the  hand  would  be  liable  to  be  galled  by  the  constant 
friction  and  pressure.     This  is  a  point  of  great  impor- 
tance, and  should  always  be  borne  in   mind,   for  the 
very  best  carver  could  hardly  fail  to  turn  out  bad  work 
when  wincing  under  a  blistered  hand,  and  nothing  is 
so  certain  to  cause  this  as  an  ill-made  or  roufjh  handle. 
For  this  reason   it  is  well  to  avoid  using   a  tool  the 
handle  for  which   has    been  beaten  and   frayed  with 
blou  ,  from  the  mallet,  without  repolishing  it  with  a 
file  or  sandpaper. 

If,  instead  of  the  modest  number  of  tools  I  have 
suggested,  a  greater  quantity  is  purchased,  it  will  be 
found  very  convenient  to  have  the  handles  of  various 
woods  and  colors,  so  that  each  may  be  known  at  a 
glance;  thus,  for  instance,  the  smaller  gouges  might 
be  of  rosewood,  the  largest  cherry  wood,  the  chisel 
ebony,  and  others  of  boxwnnd;  also  it  is  convenient 
to  have  a  number  or  any  special  mark  branded  on  the 


23 


PRACTICAL  WOOD  CARVING 


handle  to  denote  the  size;  by  this  means  no  time  is 

which  would  certamly  be  the  case  were  they  all  alike 
without  any  means  of  distinguishing  them.     All  these 

jttle  matters,  trivial  and  hardly  worth  noticing  though 
.hey  may  seem,  are  nevertheless,  as  long  experience 
has  taught,  of  very  material  assistance 

In  any  but  the  lightest  work  a  mallet  of  some  kind 
IS  necessary  for  no  tool  should  be  pounded  with  a 
hammer.  The  carver's  mallet  should  have  a  round 
head  exactly  like  a  stone  mason's  mallet,  though  an 
ordinary  mallet  will  serve  the  purpose,  but  the  former 
IS  preferable. 

Wood  carving  may  be  said  to  be  of  three  kinds,  the 
simplest  of  which  is  Surface  Carving;   it  might  be  called 
engraving,  and  is  appropriate   for  the  adornment  of 
objects  that  are  handled,  such  as  caskets,  book  racks, 
book  covers,  glove  and  other  small  boxes.     This  work 
.s  better  known  as  Chip  Carving,  of  which  I  wi'I  have 
nore  to  say  later  on.     Surface  carving  is  most  effective 
when  done  on  a  polished  (shellacked)  surface,  where  a 
design,  say  of  leaves  and  blossoms,  is  left  bright,  and 
the  background  IS  roughened  or  grained  by  stamping 
and  afterward  darkened  by  oiling.     Another  method 
of  carving  is  called  incised  work.     It  is  relief  intaglio, 
the  design  being  outlined  and  modeled,  leaving  the  re- 
ma.ninr  surface  of  the  wood  untouched.     This  method 
.s    sometimes,    though     incorrectly,    called    intaglio 
carving      But  intaglio  cutting  or  engraving  is  the  re- 
verse of  relief,  such  as  a  cameo;  it  is  an  engraving  or 
carving  which,  when  impressed  on  wax  or  plaster,  gives 
a  raised  or  relief  design.     Incised  carving"^  is  modeled 
m  relief,  but  done  without  lowering  or  cutting  away  the 
remaining  surface.     A  more  general  and  more  artistic 


CARVERS'   TOOLS  AND  APPLIANCES    23 

method  of  carving  is  relief  work,  where  the  design 
when  completed  appears  wholly  raised  above  the 
uniform  depth.  The  background  may  be  smoothly 
finished  or  it  may  be  grained  by  stamping.  The  rough 
background,  absorbing  the  oil,  appears  to  give  a 
heightened  effect  to  the  carving. 

The  tools  shown  in  Fig.  1  are  about  all  that  will  be 
required  for  a    tart.     The  shape  of  the  tool  is  given, 
also  the   cut   it   gives.      An 
expert  workman  may  use  a 
larger  number  of  tools,  but 
for  the  beginner  the  follow- 
ing  list  is   amply  sufficient; 
as  he  advances    he  can  add 
others,  as  the   work  in  hand 
may  demand.      The  follow- 
ing eleven   tools   will    serve 
for  all  kinds  of  carving  ex- 
cept   perhaps    modeling    in 
the  round,  yet  they  are  used 
in   this    kind   of   carving    in 
some  cases.     The  first  of  the 
illustrations,      the      carver's 
chisels,    are    called    by    the 
trade   firmers,  to  distinguish 
them  from  the  chisel  used  by 
carpenters.     Of  these  useful 
tools  there  are  a  great  many 
sizes,  from  ^\  of  an  inch  to  2  inches  in  width.     Thv. 
smaller  sizes  are  called  picks;  carvers  generally  make 
them  themselves.     Of  chisels  select  two  sizes  or  three, 
one  ^\  of  an  inch  and  one  >^  inch.     The  second  lot  are 
very  useful    tools  for  cutting  into  corners,   veining  and 
other  purposes.     Of  the  tools  chooso  two  sizes,  one  % 


-      ^=^ 


ILICHTLT  CUIVED  BINT  TOOU 


^ 


=<!> 

=4=" 


DIEPLT  CUItVECi      JIT  TOOU. 


VI 


u 


l-ASTINC  TOOL  ;  (B)  VCINEI. 

Fio.  1.    Carving  Tools. 


1 


24  PRACTICAL  WOOD  CARVING 

one")"of '"^""k '^  'f^-     ^^Ihe  gouges  shown,  select 
one  ^  nf  an  inch  and  one  ^  of  an  inch.     Gouges  are 

of  a. I   .       n.tuaes  of  curves,  from  the  slightest  curve 
tha.   M-  almost  be  taken   for  flat  to  the  half  of  an 

oval      <      these  select  one  >^  and  ore  H  01    v.  inch 

When  the  tools  are  purchased  they  are  not  ground, 
nether  have  they  handles.     The  tools  must  first  be  sei 

'"  handles.     To  put  the  han- 

t::^   j:^    t:~—  'J'^s  on,  the  tool  is  held  in 

^      C      •;;;— ^  •>  ^'s^.  the  handle  is  pushed 

onto  the  tongue  of  the  tool 
and  twisted  backward  and 
forward  to  make  the  hole  in 
the  handle  larger.  This 
should  be  continued  until  it 
can  be  pushed  within  three- 
quarters  of  an  inch  of  the 
..^    ,  .  .   ,  shoulder  of    the   tool;    it  is 

then  driven   r.ght  home.     This  method   prevents  the 
hand,     f     „  ,^,,^,.^^      j^^^^  ^^^^^^^^  J^^^         e 

and  make  very  good  carvers'  tools,  but  probably  the 

are  V    V  h";      •"  '?"^'^  '"^'  "^^^^  '^^  ^^''^^  '^"^  ^hey 
are  \ery  high  priced.  ' 

The  cutting  edges  of  a  variety  of  tools  are  shown  in 

as   he"  y  -"^  r''  ^^^  ^"^^"''■^^  "^y  ^he  workman 

as   he   advances  in  the  art. 

fig.  3  shows  a  number  of  *     fi 

punch  points  which  will  come  ^     -*■     Y    ^ 

in  for  diapering  or  padding  °     +     0 

the  background  of  the  work  ''  '"""=""• 

man  u ,  1 1  be  able  to  make  himself  out  of  round  and 
square  bars  of  steel  of  the  proper  s.-ction.  Th.  steH 
can  be  sottened  by  heating  and  then  let  cool  gradually, 


QflCK  TOOLS. 

Fi<i.  2.   CuTTiNc  Edges  or  Toois. 


^    > 


CARVERS'  TOOLS  AND  APPLIANCES    25 

after  which  the  pattern  on  the  end  may  be  worked  out 
w.th  a  file  cold  chisel  or  drill,  as  the  pattern  may 
demand;  after  which  the  steel  must  be  heated  to  a 
cherry  red  color  and  then  plunged  into  oil  or  into  a 
stick  of  sealing  wax.  This  process  will  make  the  tool 
quite  hard  enough  for  ordinary  purposes. 

A  very  useful  punch,  and  one  that  is  easily  made,  is 
shown  in   Fig.  4,  also  the  impression  it  makes.     This 


•;•• 


Fi 


style    of    padding    is    very   often    used.     It    is   quite 
effective.  .  ^ 

Every  carver  should  provide   himself  with  a  bench 
He   may  make  one  for  himself  according  to  the  size 
and   construction   shown   in    the    illustration     Fig     r 
The  top  should  be  made  of  two  11.2  inch  bo'ards  and 
as  steadiness   is  the  main   feature  to  be  aimed  ai    .he 
joints  should   have  some  care.     Those  in   illustration 
are  shown  to  be  formed  by  checking  one  piece  of  wood 
over  the  other,  with   shoulders   to  resist  the   lateral 
stram.     Proper   tenons   would    be    better,    but    more 
difficult  to  make.     It  must  have  a  projecting  edge  at 
the  front  and  ends  to  receive  the  clamps.     The  bench 
should  have  a  joiner's  "bench-screw"  attached  to  the 
back  leg  for  holding  work  which  is  to  be  carved  on  its 
edges  or  ends.     The  feet  should  be  secured  to  the  floor 
by  means  of  iron  brackets,   as  considerable   force   is 
applied  tn  carving  hard  wood,  which  mav  movr^  th- 
bench   bodily  unless  it    is  secured  or  is  very   heavy 
i-rofessional  car^•ers  use  a  bench  which  is  composed  of 


I 


26 


PRACTICAL  WOOD  CARVING 


beech  planks  three  or  four  inches  in  thickness  and  of 
such  a  length  as  can  be  accommodated  by  the  room 
available. 

Another  bench,  somewhat  more  elaborate  than  that 
shown  m  Fig.  5,  is  shown  in  Fig.  6.  This  has  a  top 
36x36  mches.  which  is  ly,  inches  in  thickness;  it 
IS  not  necessary  to  be  hard  wood;  red  or  white  pine  is 
quite  strong  and  suitable  enough;  it  should  be  square 


Fig.  5 


edged  and  should  project  3  inches  clear  of  the  legs 
and  rails.     The  legs  and  rails  should  be  of  fairly  heavy 
material,    as   regards    si.e.    to  give   the   whole    bench 
sufficient  weight.     An  open  shelf  and  a  drawer  for  the 
tools   should    be    provided.     The    dimensions  of  the 
bench  and  its  parts  are  given  in  the  sketch.     A  bench 
like  this  has  many  advantages;  it  is  strong  and  heavy 
It  enables  the  learner  to  get  to  both  the  end  and  side 
ot  his  work.  It  provides  accommodation  for  his  tools 
the    work    IS   easily   fastened    to    it,    and    one  of   the 
greatest  advantages  is  that  there  is  room  enough  ia 


CARVERS'  TOOLS  AND  APPLIANCES    27 

the  center  for  a  light  to  be  placed,  whether  electric, 
gas,  or  lamp  light,  without  anything  being  able  to 
obstruct  its  free  passage  to  the  student's  work. 

rhe  bench  shown  in  Fig.  7  is  quite  different  from 
the  previous  ones,  but  is  the  one  preferred  by  Harry 
Hems,   and   is  from    an    illustration  of    his    making 


Fig.  6. 

Regarding   it    he   has   the   following  to   say,    which   I 
think  worthy  of  production  at  this  poinl: 

"A  wood  carver  dearly  loves  his  bench,  and  is  not 
altogether  quite  at  home  without  it.  In  this  he  differs 
from  the  stone  carver,  who  prefers  to  carve  what  he  is 
about  tnsit».  A  carver's  bench  is  quite  different  in 
construction  from  a  joiner's;  the  latter  is  portable  and 
may  be  put  anywhere  at  will,  the  former  is  stationary 
and  should  always  be  fixed  under  a  window 


I 


as  PRACTICAL  WOOD  CARVING 

•The  carver's  bench  is  also  somewhat  higher  than 
a  joiner  i,  i.e.,  it  must  be  3  feet  2^  inches  high.  The 
niain  portion,  that  which  is  actually  worked  upon, 
should  be  of  well-seasoned  beech,  4  inches  thick  and  i 
foot  8  mches  wide,  firmly  planted  upon  framing  of  the 
same  material,  with  upright  supports  (4  x  3  inches) 
about  3  feet  apart.     Behind  this,  i.e.,  farthest  from  the 


Fig.  7. 


worker,  it  should  be  widened  out  by  a  deal  plank  i 
foot  4  inches  wide  or  thereabouts,  fixed  so  that  its 
surface  is  3  inches  below  the  actual  working  bench 
This  allows  the  tools  to  be  spread  upon  it  without  their 
handles  projecting  quite  so  high  as  the  top  of  the 
bench  itself.  Thus  a  large  job  may  always  be  turned 
about  without  in  any  way  interfering  with  the  tools 


CARVERS'  TOOLS  AND  APPLIANCES    29 

which  lie  upon  the  lower  level.     The  height  given  is 
an   excellent   and   comfortable   one   for  the   average 
wc         -n,  whilst  a  short  one  or  boy  can  always  suit 
his  own  convenience,  as  necessary,  by  having  a  block 
or  iwo  to  stand  upon.     About  I  foot  from  the  ground 
there  should  be  a  shelf  of    1^    inch   pine.     This  is 
always  found  most  useful,  not  only  to  stow  away  odd 
pieces  of  stuff  that  are  sure  to  come  in  handy  some 
day,  but  also  to  put  a  foot  upon  now  and  again  when 
a  change  of  position   is  desired.     In  one  of  my  own 
sUidios  we  have  a  continuous  bench  measuring  70  feet 
long.     It  offers  fairly  ample  accommodation  for  twenty 
carvers,  i.  .,  allowing  3  feet  6  inches  for  each  crafts- 
man. 

"As  it  is  essential  for  light  that  a  carver's  bench  be 
fixed  under  windows,  it  is  also  necessary  that  the  latter 
be  provided  with  blinds.  The  head  is  bent  forward 
whilst  its  owner  is  at  work,  and  in  warm  weather  the 
sun  pours  upon  it  inconveniently. 

"It  is  only  careless  wood  carvers  who  work  upon  the 
actual  bench  itself.     There  should  always  be  cutting 
boards  of  i  inch  yellow  pine  between  the  bench  and 
the  job  in  hand.     The'se  not  only  save  the   benches, 
but  if  work  has  to  be  pared  or  cut  through,  the  softer 
material  saves  the  under  edges  of  the  finished  carvings 
from  breaking  away.     The  benches  may  be  bored  in  a 
couple  of  places  to  take  the  hold-fast,  and  a  couple  of 
smaller  holes  at  convenient  distances  be  made  for  the 
bench-screw.     For  the  latter,  bored  blocks  are  required 
to  pack  up  the  screw  under  the  bench  board,  and  care 
shoulc'  be  tak  n  never  to  fasten  down  the  hold-fast 
upon  the  work  to  be  carved  with  hard  wood.     Use  a 
piece  of  deal,  otherw-se   the    carving    itself  may  be 
bruised.     Ofcouisj  a  slight  dent  of  the  kind  in  oak 


30 


PRACTICAL  WOOD  CARVING 


may  always  be 'lifted- again  by  a  few  applications  of 
spittle,  the  moisture  of  the  saliva  swelling  the  dent  up 
"Most  jobs  can  be  best  carried  out  on  benchf-s.  but 
ex-        on  must  be  taken  to  figures  and  figure  panels 
These  should  never  be  laid  on  the  flat,  save  for  under 
cuttmg.     A  plant  may  be    fixed   vertically  from   the 
floor  to  the  ceiling  joists.     Holes  can  be  l)ored  in  this 
at   convenient   heights,    and    by   means   of  a   bench- 
screw— or  more  than  one,  if  necessary-the  statue  or 
panel  can  be  securely  fixed  level  with  the  eye.     Then 
the  worker  may  bang  away  at  it  and  see  what  he  is 
doing. 

"It  is  only  thoughtless  carvers  who  put  finished  or 
partly  finished  work  down  upon  the  floor,  even  for  five 
minutes.     There  is  always  more  or  less  dust  upon  the 
floor  of  even  the  best  appointed  shop,  and  soiled  work 
IS  ever  an  abomination.     Never  let  the  glue  pot  touch 
the  floor  either.     Dirty  glue,  of  all  things,  is  disgrace- 
tul.     What  looks  worse  than  a  black  joint  that  sug- 
gests that  somebody  has  been   lining  it  with   a   lead 
pencil?     Further,  never   use    cheap  glue.     Tne  u  ore 
costly  is  the  best  and  cheapest  in  the  long  run      The 
benches    should     be    fixed     firmly    against    the    wall 
immediately  under  a  continuous  row  of  windows       It  is 
well  for  the  latter  to  be  glazed  with   ribbed  glass  up  to 
a  leve'     '  -p  the  ordinary  line  of  sight.     This  prevents 
^"^'  ^  ''"ff  looked  through  either  by  workmen 

or  pass.  'Vork  naturally  suffers  if  attention   is 

diverted  fro...  ... 

"It  is  a  great  mistake  for  a  carver's  bench  to  be 
placed,  like  a  joiner's,  in  the  midst  of  a  shop;  the  light 
IS  then  all  wrong.  The  greatest  number  of  wood 
carvers  I  ever  saw  at  work  together  was  M  Pullman's 
car  works,  a  dozen  miles  or  so  out  of  Chicago.     It  was 


CARVERS'   TOOLS  AND  APPLIANCES    31 

in  1893,  at  the  time  of  the  World's  Fair.  There  were 
fully  3Q0  of  them,  all  erriloyed  on  piece-work,  and  the 
majority  not  earning  more  than  they  would  have  done 
in  England.  In  the  different  shops  there  were  two 
rows  of  continuous  benches,  one  line  of  them  arranged 
directly  under  the  windows,  and  the  other  running 
parallel  a  few  yards  behind.  I  rt  collect  those  working 
m  the  rear  complained  bitterly  how  severely  they  were 
handicapped  in  regard  to  light." 

E.\perience  tells  us  that  in  winter  time  and  on  dark 
days  It  is  always  economi       to  keep  plenty  of  arcificial 
light  burning  in  a    carve. 's    shop.      At  all    times   it 
''pays"  better  to  light  up  half  an  hour  too  soon  than 
five  minutes  too  late.     A  man  can  always  work  better 
and  more  readily  utilize  an  "inspiration"    when  the 
surroundings  are  cheerful.     In  dull  weather  it  is  well  to 
keep  the  gas  burning  all  day.     As  a  rule,  in  a  carver's 
studio  when   more   light  is  required  warmth    is   also 
desired.     Gas  gives    light    and    makes   warmth,    and 
hence  is  better  than  electricity,  for  there  is  no  warmth 
in  the  latter.     When  at  work  the  carver  should  always 
wear   a    blouse 
—  white     by 
ch  lice  — and 
"s,  >ort"aclean 
one  every  Mon- 
day    morning. 
Blouses  not  on- 
ly greatly  save 

the  clothes,  but   are  a  pleasant  distinction  from  the 
joiner  s  apron. 

As  I  stated  on  a  former  page,  the  ma' let  made  use 

or  by  the  carver  should  have  1  rnuru]  f-.-^    -,-    i 

_..    '  ""-'  "rt»t.  a  ruuiiu  rd(.c,  as  shown  in 

tigs.  8  and  9.  though  this  is  not  absolutely  necessary, 


Fig  8. 


Fig. 


;-•.-.",»)! 


k 


li 


32  PRACTICAL  WOOD  CARVING 

as  will  be  shown  later  on.     The  mallet.  Fig.  9,  is  shown 

L7,T7:  rJ'''  ^°'  "''^^  ^'-  ''--'  the  proper 
meth^^  of  hold.ng  the  chisel  or  gouge  when  the  mallet 

Another  shape  of  mallet  is  shown  in  Fig.  u,  where 
some  examples  of  tool  holding  are  also  ilfustrated    L 

which  the  proper  po- 
sition of  the  hands  is 
shown  while  at  work. 
Except  when  using 
the  mallet,  hold  the 
tool  with  both  hands; 
in  the  right,  the  han- 
dle, the  first  and  sec- 
ond fingers  of  the  left 
hand  resting  on  and 
guiding  the   tool  an 
inch  or  so  from  the 
end.      With    both 
hands    above    the 
sharp   edge,  all  dan- 

v^nf«^      xxr.  ger  of  accident  is  pre- 

vented. When  some  force  is  required  the  mallet 
should  be  used.  The  handle  of  the  tool  should  then 
be  hdd  firmly  m  the  left  hand,  between  the  fingers  and 

If  the  mtnet"^"^'  ^^^"^  '''  ^^  '''  ^^^^  ^'^  -^^^ 
The  best  carvers'  mallets  are  turned  and  made  of 

pouldr^',^'^  ""^r  ---^e  weight   istu-o 

pounds      A  larger  one  may  be  rather  cumbersome  for 
general  work.     Don't  have  too  small  a  mallet;    one 
we.ghmg  under  a  pound  gives  the  impression  of  playing 
w   h  work  rather  than  doing  it.     Hence  it  is  not  sug 
gest.ve  of  a  d.l.gent   journeyman.     In  the  old  days 


Fig.   10. 


^^S-Mr^ 


m^^'M 


-*>'^ 


CARVERS'  TOOLS  AND  APPLIANCES    33 

mallets  were  oblong,  like  those  used  by  joiners, 
although  generally  rounded  off  at  the  top.  I  remem- 
ber when  I  went  to  the  trade  my  first  task  was  to  make 
my  own  mallet  of  iVi.  :hape.  This  I  managed  fairly 
well,  the  mort.  ,.nf,'  for  the  handle  being  the  most 
awkward  part  -  ■  t^.e   business  to  a  mere  novice;  for 


(TAHPINC   Till    aACKCROUND. 


Fig.   II. 


OITTLININC   rOK    KLilF    WO*N. 


there  were  no  mortising  machines  in  those  days,  or 
not  at  least  in  my  own  shop  at  Sheffield  in  the 
forties. 

Although  a  mallet  is  not  so  necessary  a  tool  to  a 
wood  carver  as  it  is  to  the  carver  of  stone,  to  whom  it  is 
an  actual  essential,  its  use  cannot  be  too  systematically 
cultivated.     All  rough-cut  should  be  done  with  it,  and 


34 


PRACTICAL  WOOD  CARVING 


-*  i 

1 


bosses,  cornices,  and  other  work  intended  to  be  fixed 
at  a  height  from  the  eye,  should  invariably  be  finished 
with  the  mallet.     When  engaged  on  these  classes  of 
work  the  mallet  should  never  leave  the  carver's  hand, 
for  the  cut  left  by  the  chisel  with  the  mallet  behind  it 
is  always  the  most  effective  when  looked  up  at  from 
the  ground.     Further,  by  the  free  and  continuous  use  o 
the  mallet  the  work   is  got  over   in   half  the  time  i 
would  otherwise  take.     In    architectural   carving  the 
great  end  to  be  attained  is  general  good  effect.     If  it  is 
to  be  successful,  the  lights  and  shadows,  the  outlines 
and  general  grouping  must  be  happy  and  effective  when 
seen  from  the  real  point  of  sight,  i.e.,  the  floor.     Half 
a  dozen  strokes  judiciously  administered  may  make  a 
really  effective   patera,   whereas   half  a  day's  minute 
work  upon  a  bench   may  produce    something  which, 
when  placed  in  position  upon  the  wall  plate  of  a  roof, 
will  not  only  be  disappointing  but  practically  invisible. 
It  is  a  very  general  practice  of  wood  carvers  to  use 
the  half-closed  palm  of  ine  hand  as  a  sort  of  human 
mallet,  and  for  light  work  this  is  a  useful  and  whole- 
some custom.     All  experienced  wood  carvers  have  a 
large  hoof  in  the  middle  of  the  palm  as  a  result  thereof. 
It  must  not  be  ignored  or  overlooked,  however,  that 
this  practice,  if  carried  too  far,  may  have  unpleasant 
or  even  dangerous  consequences.     As  it  is,  few  mature 
wood  carvers  can  open  their  right  hand  quite  straight. 
In    course   of   time   the    habit    causes    the    fingers    to 
become   rigidly   bent    inwards,    although    the    flexor 
tendons    and    joints    arc     unaffected.      Subcutaneous 
division  of  the  contracted  bands  sets  the  fingers  free, 
but  a  relapse   is   nearly   sure  to  occur.     An   eminent 
surgeon  says,  "There  are  quite  half  a  dozen  different 
operations  in  vogue  for   this  deformity,   but  I  never 


CARVERS'  TOOLS  AND  APPLIANCES    35 

knew  one      hich  was  really  successful— that  is  to  say, 
which  resulted  in  a  permanent  cure." 

Carvers  sharpen  their  chisels  and  gousiTes  quite  dif- 
ferently from  joiners  and  carpenters.  These  latter  rub 
all  from  one  side  and  get  a  hard  beveled  edge;  the 
former  get  a  thin,  keen  edge— on  chisels  and  gouges 
alike— in  the  middle  of  the  steel,  rubbing  from  back 
and  front.  The  best  oilstones  probably  are  known  as 
Washita,  and  most  favorite  "slips"  are  those  from 
Arkansas.  The  latter  are,  of  course,  for  sharpening 
the  concave  insides  of  gouges,  and  are  ground  to 
various  sweeps  to  fit  them.  After  properly  sharpen- 
ing, the  edges  are  "strapped"  upon  a  buff  leather— a 
soldier's  belt  makes  a  capital  strap,  rubbed  in  with 
crocus  powder  and  tallow. 

It  is  a  singular  but  certain  fact  that  soft  wood 
requires  keener  edged  tools  to  finish  work  cleanly  with 
than  hard  wood.  Thi's  deal  or  cedar  must  be  carved 
with  sharper  tools  than  oak  demands. 

Besides  hi?  Met  and  chisels  a  carver  practically 
wants   nothin,  a  hold-fast,  screw,  and   a   pair  of 

calipers.     Thei    .ic  is  set  up,  and  can  go   anywhere, 
and— if  the  ability  is  in  him— do  anything. 

A  good  carver  rarely  carries  a  lead  pencil.  He 
trusts  to  his  eye.  What  will  deceive  a  practical  and 
well-trained  optic  will  readily  deceive  the  whole 
world.  He  never  carries  a  rule  under  any  circum- 
stances. If  by  any  chance  he  should  require  one  for  a 
minute  or  two,  he  borrows  it  from  a  joiner. 

One  of  the  most  important  branches  of  the  carver's 
art  is  a  knowledge  of  the  proper  methods  employed  in 
sharpening  the  tools  he  or  she  has  to  make  use  of. 
Sharp  tools  solve  the  mystery  of  clean  cutting  and 
good  work.     Great  care  should  be  taken  that  the  edges 


i^^-^l 


36  PRACTICAL   WOOD  CARVING 

of  the  tools  do  not  knock  or  rub  against  one  another. 
The  good  carver  keei)s  his  tjols  parallel  with  each 
other  when  not  in  use,  or  better  still,  he  rolls  them  up 
in  a  slightly  oiled  cloth,  havin^  one  layer  of  cloth 
between  each  tool. 

Sharpening  tools  is  to  the  wood  carver  what  thread- 
ing the  needle  is  to  the  seamstress— a  continual  annoy- 
ance, yet  not  without  its  advantage,  as  it  breaks  In  on 
a  too  long  continued  abstraction  in  work.     Tools  must 
be  of  very  good  quality  and  very  sharp.     Many  tools 
which  are  brittle  at  first,   at  the  edge,  improve  after 
this  has  been  worn  away.     It  will   be  necessary,  while 
carvmg  with  one  tool  continuously,  to  touch  it  up  on 
the  hone  ai>out  once   in   ten  or  fifteen  minutes.     It  is 
hardly  necessary  to  describe  how  tools  are  ground,  for 
there  is  hardly  a  place  in  the  world  where  there  is  not 
a  tool  seller,  a  carpenter,  a  smith  or  tinker  who   can 
shov   you   the  method.     A  grindstone  and  an  oilstone 
are  almost  as  necessary  as  tools.      Carpenters'  tools 
are  sharpened  on  only  one  side,  carvers'  tools  on  both. 
The  V  tools  and  gouges  are  sharpened  externally  on 
the  wheel  and  stones  as  chisels  are.     But  the  grinding 
on  the  inside  is  done  with  a  bit  of  Arkansas  oilstone 
called  a  slip,  ground  or  filed  down  so  as  to  e.xactly  fit 
the  edge.     Remember  that   to  do   this  with  only  the 
stone  and  the  tools  is  dangerous  for  the  fingers.     There- 
fore  set  the  slip   in  a  piece  of  xvood,  which   may  be 
screwed  into  a  vise  or  laid  on  the  table  and  held  fast 
by  nails. 

After  tools  have  been  ground  and  had  the  first  dull 
or  wire  edge  removed,  they  must  be  set  on  an  oilstone 
which  gives  them  greater  keenness.     They  should  then 
be  stropped  on  a  piece  of  leather.     If  there  is  no  strop 
at  hand  a  substitute  may  be  found  in  the  smooth  sur- 


^^w 


CAR\  r:R.S'    TOOLS   AND  APPLIANXES    37 

face  of  a  planed  pine  board.     It  is  difficult  for  a  tyro 
to  grind  and  set  the  V  tool  or  gouges.     Those  who 
intend  to  carve  should  first  of  all  learn  to  sharpen  and 
set  tools.     It  IS  by  no  means  difficult  to  do  this  if  they 
will  on  y  try.     Gouges  and  chisels  when  p-rchased  are 
beveled  at  the  cutting  edge.     This  bevel  should  always 
be  preserved.     When    grinding    th.   tools  the  gouges 
are  held  to  the  grinding  stone  at  precisely  the  angle 
indicated  and  are  moved  backward  and  forward  bv  the 
motion  of  the  wrist  across  the  grindstone,  and  .'    the 
same  time  are  twisted  between   the  thumb  and   fore- 
hnger.     This  action  preserves  the  curves,  which  must 
always  be  perfect.     Little  difficult^■  will   be  found   in 
sharpening  the  chisels,  as  they  are  held  to  the  grind- 
stone perfectly  flat;  yet  they  must  be  moved  from  one 
side  of  the  stone  to  the  other  or  you  will  work  a  groove 
in  the  stone  in  a  very  little  time. 

The  oilstone  is  a  tool  that  very  few  take  proper  care 
ot.     It  IS  indispensable  and  therefore  should  be  treated 
as  carefully  as  the  sharpest  cutiing  instrument       Oil- 
stones should  never  be  allowed  to  get  clogged  up  with 
dirty,  dried 
oil.     They 
should   be 
kept    free 
from  dust  and 
grit.     The 
best   oilstone 
is    one    in    a 

I'lbst'n  'ZV  """'.V  "^''^  "^■•'^•"-      ^^^»<^n^a^  oil 

oed  d  "  "'''  ''^ '"  P""'^^''^  *he  same  way  and 

wiped  dry  every  time  they  are  used 

Fi^  77  T^  T  '^  "'^""'  '"  "''^^^"^   '^  ^hown  in 
^>g.  12.     It  IS  distressing  to  the  trained  mechanic  to 


Fig.   12. 


i 


38  PRACTICAL  WOOD  CARVING 

saunter  through  a  workshop  and  sec  about  half  the 
oilstones  on  the  bench  worn  hollow  in  the  center  Hke 
a  sway-backed  horse.     This  evil  will  be  corrected  if  the 
stone  ,s  set  in  a  block,  as  illustrated   in   the  sketch 
with  pieces  of  hard  wood  about  i^  inches  long  at  each 
end  and  flush  with   the  face  of  the  stone,     ^his  ^ill 
en  bU.     he  workman  ,n  sharpening  his  tools  to  whet 
mcr  the  ends  of  the  stone  as  well  as  in  the  middle  of 
M  thereby  keeping  ,t  straight.     Should  the  stone,  after 
long  use,  show  any  hollow  places,  take  a  piece  of  No. 
2.  sandpaper   lay.ng  it  on  a  flat  board,  turn  the  stone 
face  down  and  a  br.sk  rubbing  will  soon  put  it  in  good 

wh     f     n  .'''"^f"^^'^'^   "P^"  't,  the  latter  will  not  slip 
whilst  rubbing  the  stone.  ^ 

When  being  honed,  tools  are  held  to  the  stone  at  the 
saine  angle  or  bevel  as  when  being  ground.  The  flat 
tools  are  rubbed  up  and  down  the  stone,  as  if  you 
were  making  a  long  figure  8.     Hone  on  one  side  and 

up  and  down  the  stone,  twisting  the  tool   between  the 
thumb  and  fingers.     These  tools  should  not  be  pressed 
hard  upon  the  stone.     The  action  should  be  quk-k  and 
■ght  or  the  tools  will  have  ragged  edges,  v^hlch  are 
very  hard  to  remove  and  very  often  destroy  the  curve 
you  are  rriost  anxious  to  preserve.     A  gouge  properly 
sharpened  upon  a  flat  stone  should  not  want  the  sp 
applied  to  the  concave  side.     It  should  only  be  us  d 
when   there  is  a  feathery  edge.     The  constant  use  of 
the  sip  ,ns,de  will  spoil  the  curve,  whether  the  stone 
nts  It  exactly  or  not. 

unlnZ  '•'7"'''^  °.f  ^  ^^^S<^  has  been  clearly  rubbed 
up  to  the  edge,  the  inside  is  to  be  rubbed  out  with  a 
washita  slip  of  the  proper  shape,  as  shown  in  Fig    13 


tif 


'm:''-3mm3Msss: 


CARVERS'  TOOLS  AND  APPLIANXES    39 

to  the  extent  of  half  as  much  as  the  outside  The 
handle  of  the  tool  should  be  graspea  in  the  left  hand 
while  Its  blade  rests  on  a  block  of  wood,  or  on  the 
oilstone.  Hold  the  slip  between  tne  fingers  and 
thumb,  slanting  a  little  over  the  inner  edge,  and  work 
.t  in  a    seri-3    of    do^  nward    strokes,   beginning  the 


Fig.  13 


strokes  at  one  corner  of  the  gouge  and  leaving  off  at 
he  other,  as  shown  in  Fig.  14.  Strop  the  outside  of 
the  tool  and  test  for  burr,  then  lay  the  leather  strap 
over  the  handle  of  another  tool  and  strop  the  inside 
repeating  the  operation  until  all  burr  has  been 
fTuse       '      '"   P^^^bably  the  tool   will   then  be  ready 

The  veiner  requires  the  same  kind  of  treatment,  only 

trai  ^t  ",  "  """?  "^  '  ""'^  '"  '^^  section-having 
and  ir  •  ^'^""^^'^-^-half  must  be  done  at  a  time! 
and  t  ,s  well  to  give  the  straight  sides  one  stroke 
o     so  ,n   every  half   dozen,    all  to   itself,   to    keep    it 

L^^\uf^  """''  ^^  '^'^'^^"  ^^"'^h  this  tool,  as  it  is 
easily  rubbed  out  of  .shap*-  ju^;^  -^^  ^„^,  ^  c-  , 
r^ff  ,...fu  .1-  ,  ,  "^F-  *  ■■■- ■n--."e  must  be  finisned 
off  with  the  Arkansas  knife-edged  slip,  one  side  at  a 


■ 


f  .->-■' 


I 


t 


i 


m338H 


PRACTICAL  WOOD  CARVING 

time,  as  it  is  impossible  to  sweep  out  the  whole  section 
of  these  deep  tools  at  one  stroke.  Stropping  must 
follow  as  before,  but  as  this  tool   is  so  small  that  the 


Fig.  14. 


leather  strop  will  not  enter  its  hollow,  the  leather  must 
be  laid  down  flat  and  the  hollow  of  the  tool  drawn 
along  its  edge  until  it  makes  a  little  ridge  for  itself 


vCATwe 


Fig.  15. 


which  fills  the  hollow  and  cleans  off  the  burr;  the 
method  being  shown  in  Fig.  i;.  If  any  burr  adheres 
outside,  a  slight  rub  on  the  Arkansas  stone  will  prob- 


^' 


CARVERS'   TOOLS  AND  APPLIANCES    41 

ably  remove  it.  When  the  edges  of  the  tools  begin  to 
get  dull,  it  often  happens  that  they  only  require  to  be 
stropped,  which  should  be  frequently  done. 

A  strop  suitable  for  the  carver's  use  may  be  made 
from  a  piece  of  good  harness  leather,  or  from  an 
ordinary  razor  strop.  It  is  a  good  idea  to  glue  a  piece 
of  ^-ood,  suitable  leather  on  tl'c  top  or  cover  of  the 
oilstone,  which  may  be  used  for  stropping  flat  chisels 
and  many  other  tools.  Of  course,  a  loose  strop  should 
always  accompany  a  set  of  carving  tools,  whether  the 
set  number  many  or  few  pieces. 

As  the  treatment  of  all   gouges  is  more  or  less  like 
what  has    been    described,    practice  wi'l   enable    the 
beginner  to  adapt   it  to  the  shape  which  requires  his 
attention.      There  remain  only  the  V  tools,  the  spoon 
tools    and   the   macaroni    which    will   require    special 
attention.     The  point  of  the  V  tool  is  so  acute  that  it 
becomes  diflficult  to  clear  the   inside.     A  knife-edged 
slip  is  used  for  this  purpose,  and  it  is  well  also  to  put  a 
slip  of  wood  to  a  thin  edge,  and  after  rubbing  it  with 
paste  and  oil,  pass  it  down   frequently  over  the  point 
between    the    sides.     Unless    a    very' sharp   point    is 
obtamed,    this   too'    is    practically   useless;    the    least 
speck  of  burr  or  di-llness  will  stop  its  progress  or  tear 
up  the  wood.     In  sharpening  it,  the  sides  should   be 
pressed  firmly  on  the  stone,  watching  it  every  now  and 
then  to  see  what  effect   is  being  produced.     If  a  gap 
begins  to  appear  on  one  side,  as   it  often  does,  then 
rub  the  other  side  until   it  disappears,  taking  care  to 
bear  more  heavily  on  the  point  of  the  tool  than  else- 
where.    If  the  sides  get  out  of  shape,  pass  the  tool 
along  the  stone,  holding  it  at  right  angles  to  the  side 
of  the  stone,  but  at  the  proper  angle  of  elevation;  in 
this  case  the  tool  is  held  near  its  end,  between  finders 


ft  »;->  — 


4*  PRACTICAL  WOOD  CARVING 

and  thumb.     Spoon  tools  must  be  held  to  the  stone  at 
a  much  higher  angle  until  the  cutting  edge  is  in  the 
right  relation  to  the  surface,  or  thev  may  be  drawn 
s.dewise  along  it,   taking  care  that  every  part  of  the 
edge  comes  ui  contact  ar  d  receives  an  equal  amount  of 
rubbmg.     These  may  be  treated  half  at  a  time,  or  all 
round,   accorduig  to  the  size  and  depth  of  the  tool 
However  it  is  produced,  the  one  thing  essential  is  a 
long    straight-sectioned  cutting  bevel,  not  a  rounded 
or  obtuse  one.     Strop  the   inside  by  folding  up  the 
leather  mto  a  little  roll  or  ball  until  it  fills  the  hollow 
of  the  tool. 

For  a  small  set  of  tools  one  flat  oilstone  and   two 
slips  will  be  found   sufficient  for  a  beginning,  but  as  a 
matter  of  fact,  it  will  be  advisable,  as  the  number  of 
tools  is  enlarged,  to  obtain  slips  of  curves  correspond- 
ing to  the  holl      .  of  all   gouges  as  nearly  as  possible. 
Many  professional  carvers  have  sets  of  these  slips  for 
the  insides  of  tools,  varying  in  curves  which  exactly  fit 
every  hollow  tool   they  possess,  including  a  triangular 
one  for  the  inside  of  the  V  tool.     The  same  rule  some- 
times applies  to  the  sweeps  of  the  outsides  of  gouges- 
for  these,  corresponding  channels  are  ground   out  in 
flat    stones,     a    process    which    is    both    difficult    and 
laborious.      If  the   inside,   are    dealt    with    on    fitting 
slips,  which   may  be  easily  adapted   to  the  purpose  bv 
application   to  a  grindstone,   the  outsides  are   not  so 
difficult  to  manage,   so  that  grooved   stones  mav  be 
dispensed  with. 

It  is  well  to  impress  upon  the  beginner  the  extreme 
importance  of  keeping  his  tools  ii.  good  order.  When 
a  tool  IS  really  sharp  it  whistles  as  it  works;  a  dull  tool 
makes  dull  work,  and  the  carver  loses  both  time  and 
temper.     There  can  be  no  doubt  that  the  great  tech- 


CARVERS'  TOOLS  AND  APPLIANCES    43 

nical  skill  shown  in  the  works  of  Grinlinj,'  Gibbons  and 
his  followers  could  not  have  been  arrived  at  without 
the  help  of  extraordinai.ly  sharp  tools— tools  not 
merely  sharpened  and  then  used  until  they  became 
dull,  but  tools  that  were  always  sharp  and  never 
allowed  to  approach  dullness.  Sharpening  tools  is 
indeed  an  art  in  itself,  and  like  other  arts  has  its 
votaries  who  successfully  conquer  its  difficulties  with 
apparent  ease,  while  others  are  baffled  at  every  point. 
Impatience  is  the  stumbling-bU  ck  in  such  operations! 


**  II    I —       I  u  1 

A  .  AhOUE.    FGR  ^OPTWOOO 

-  AJHCkue    FOR    HAf^OWOOO 

Fig.  16. 

Those  most  painstaking  people,  the  Chinese  and 
Japanese,  according  to  all  accounts,  put  magic  into 
their  sharpening  stones;  the  keenness  of  their  blades 
being  only  equaled  by  that  of  their  wits  in  all  such 
matters  of  delicate  application.  To  make  a  good 
beginning  is  a  great  point  gained.  To  carefully 
examine  every  too'  ^nd  at  the  expense  cf  time  correct 
faults  of  management,  i.  the  only  way  to  become 
expert  in  sharpening  tools. 

When  tools  are  to  be  us-d  in  soft  woods  their  bevels 
will  require  to  be  longer  than  when  for  use  in  the 
harder  woods.     I  show  both  angles  in  Fig.  16.  which 


im.,j» 


'Ifc- 


44  TRACTICAL  WOOD  CARVING 

will  give  the  reader  some  idea  of  the  requirements  in 

both  cases.     Lay  the  flat  of  the  tool  on  the  stone  at  an 

angle  of  about    15   degrees,   with    the   handle   in   the 

hollow  of  the  right  hand,  and  two  fingers  of  the  left 

pressed  upon  the  blade  as  near  to  the  stone  as  possible. 

Then   begin   rubbing   the  tool  from  end  to  end  of  the 

stone,  taking  care    lot  to   rock  the  right  hand  up  and 

down,  but  to  keep  it  as  level  as  possible  on  the  blade 

with  the  left  hand,  to  keep  it  well  in  contact  with  the 

stone.     Rocking  produces  a   rounded    basil   or  bevel 

edge,  whii  h  is  fatal  to  keenness. 

Practice  alone  will  familiarize   the  muscles  of  the 
wrist  with  the  proper  motion,  but  it  is  important  to 
acquire  this  in  order  to  form   the  correct  habit  early. 
It  should   be  practiced   very  slowly  at  first,  until   the 
hands  get  accustomed  to  the  movements.     When  one 
side  of  the  tool   has  been  rubbed  bright  as  far  as  the 
cuttmg  edge,  turn   it  over  and  treat   the  other  in  the 
same  way.     Carvers'  tools,  unlike  joiners',  are  rubbed 
on  both  sides,   in   the  proportion  of  about  two-thirds 
outside  to  one-third   inside.     When  a   keen  edge  has 
been    formed,   which   can   easily  be  tested   by  gently 
applying  the  finger,  it  should  be  stropped  on  a  piece 
of  stout   leather.     It   will    be   found,    if   the   finger  is 
passed    down    the    tool    and    over   its    edge,    that    the 
stoning  has  turned  up  a  burr.     This  must  be  removed 
by  stropping  on  both  sides  alt.Tnately.     A  paste  com- 
posed of  emery  and  crocus  powders  mixed  with  grease 
IS  used  to  smear  the  leather  before  stropping;  this  can 
either  be  procured  at  the  tooi  shop  or  made  by  the 
carver.     When  the  tool  has  been  suflficientlv  stropped 
and  all  burr  removed,  it  is  ready  for  use, 'but  it  is  as 
well  to  try  it  on  a  piece  of  wood  f^rst  and   test  it  for 
burr,  and  if  necessary  strop  it  again. 


■i'S 


^  -d-- 


CARVERS-    TOOLS  AND  APl'LIANCES    45 

Before  wc  leave  this  tool,  however,  wo  shall  antic- 
ipate a  little  and  look  at  it  after  it  has  been  used  for 
some  time  and  become  blunt.  Its  cutting  edf^'e  and 
the  bivel  above  it  are  now  polished  to  a  hi{;h  (le^jree, 
owiny  to  friction  with  the  wood.  We  lay  it  on  the 
stone,  taking  care  to  preserve  the  original  angle  (15 
degrees).  We  find  on  looking  at  the  tool  after  a  little 
rubbing  that  this  time  it  presents  a  bright  rim  along 
the  edge,  in  contrast  with  the  gray  steel  which  has  been 
in  contact  with  the  stone.  This  bright  rim  is  part  of 
the  polished  surf.»c«  whole  bevel  had  before  we 

began   this  second   .  jning,  which  proves  that  the 

actual  edge  I  .,ot  yet  touched  the  stone.  We  are 
tempted  to  lift  the  right  hand  ever  so  little,  and  so 
get  rid  of  this  bright  rim  (sometimes  called  the 
"candle");  we  shall  thus  rub  away  all  the  steel  behind 
it.  We  do  this,  and  soon  get  our  edge;  the  bright 
rim  has  disappeared,  but  we  have  done  an  unwise  thing 
and  have  not  ^nvcd  much  time,  hecaus.  we  have  begun 
to  make  a  rounded  edge,  which,  if  carried  a  little 
further,  will  make  the  tool  useless  until  it  is  reground. 
There  is  no  nelp  for  it,  time  must  be  spent  and  trouble 
taken  in  sharpening  tools;  with  method  and  care  there 
need  be  very  little  i^'rinding,  unless  tools  are  actually 
broken. 

A  good  way  of  testing  the  keenness  of  edge  on  a 
tool  is  to  try  it  on  a  piece  of  soft  pine,  cutting  (7cross 
the  grain,  when,  if  the  tool  is  properly  sharpened,  a 
clean  cut,  without  any  tearing  of  the  grain,  will  be 
the  result. 

Before  commencing  a  piece  of  carving  I  should 
recommend  the  student  to  spend  an  hour  or  so  in 
getting  in  order  those  tools  likely  to  be  required,  and 
unless  the  work  is  of  an  intricate  character,  a  dozen  or 


46 


PRACTICAL  WOOD  CARVING 


eighteen  will  be  sufficient  When  in  use,  the  tools  are 
placed  on  the  bench  with  the  blades  pointing  towards 
the  worker,  and  owing  to  the  slight  difference  in  the 
size  and  sweep  of  many  of  them,  it  is  advisable  to 
know  the  tools  by  the  handles,  so  as  to  be  able  to  at 
once  pick  up  the  tool  required. 

In  case  the  beginner  has  unground  tools  supplied 
him,  and  must  rely  on  himself  or  the  friendly  aid  of 
a  carpenter  to  do  the  grinding,  the  difference  between 
the  edges  of  xn  ordinary  cutting  tool,  such  as  a  chisel, 
and  of  carvers'  tools  must  be  noted. 

What  might  be  a  very  good  edge  for  ordinary  joinery 

would  not   suit  the  carver.      Tools  for  carving  must 

aper  much  more  gradually,  so  that  they  have  a  more 

knl  e-hke   edge   than    a    joiner's    or    cabinetmaker's 

tools.     Figs.    17  and   18  represent  approximately  the 


Fig.  17. 


Fig.  18. 


I  I 


two   kinds  of  edges,    that    required  on  carving  tools 
being  the  thinner  of  the  two.     If  the  tools  are  ground 
by  any  one  unaccustomed  to  the  wants  of  the  carver 
this  difference  must  be  insisted  on,  for  however  keen 
the  actual  cutting  edge  may  be,  satisfactory  work  can- 
not be  ^done  unless  the  tools  have  a  long-tapered  edge. 
It  IS  therefore  at  least  as  important  to  see  that  the 
grinding  or    initial    sharpening  is    correctly  done  as 
the  subsequent  sharpening  on  the  oilstone.     Though 
this,  as  well  as  the  former,  requires  skill,  there  is  less 
risk  of  spoiling  a  tool  by  a  novice,  and  if  he  cannot 
get  a  carver  to  do  what  is  necessary  he  need  not  hesi- 
tate to  do  the  sharpening  himself.     Indeed,  the  sooner 
he  learns  to  do  so  the  better,  as  fools  are  constantly 


CARVERS'   TOOLS  AND  APPLIANCES    47 

requiring  to  be  sharpened,  and  the  practice  of  getting 
an  expert  to  do  this  whenever  needed  ;    not  always 
convenient.     Even   if  it   is,    it  is  far  better  that  the 
carver  should  be  able  to  keep  the  tools  in  order  for 
himself.     If  the  tools  are  new,  even  if  they  are  said  to 
be      sharp,"  it  is  often  a   tedious  job  to  get  really 
satisfactory  edges.     A  good  deal  of  patience  may  be 
necessary,   but  any  trouble   is  justified  by  the  result 
When  once  the  tools  are  right,  it  is  a  comparatively 
easy  matter  to  keep  them  so.     To  prevent  misunder- 
standing, It  IS  well  that  the  beginner  should  know  that 
the  edge  should  be  as  "sharp  as  a  razor."  An  edee 
that  would  do  for  even  a  sharp  knife  would  not  do  for 
carving.      The  tools  must  cut  quite  cleanly  without 
tearing  or  bruising  the  wood.     The  work  should  look 
as  If  It  had  been  cut,  not  as  if  it  had  been  worried  or 
gnawed  by  rats." 

K  W^VJ''*''"'''  ^"  roughness  left  by  grinding  must 
be  rubbed  down,  and  no  sharp  angle  must  be  left  where 
the  bevel  and  the  straight  part  of  the  blade  unite 

Tools  should  be  sharpened  on  both  sides,  as  in  Fie 
i;,  and  not  only  as  in  Fig.  18.     This  especially  applies 

A  Z  \.f.  '"  ^°"^^'  '^^  difference  is  hardly  so 
deeded.  When  sharpening  chisels,  care  must  be 
taken  to  keep  the  bevel  straight,  and  not  to  let  the 
edge  get  rounded  off. 

The  sharpening  of  gouges  presents  greater  difficulty 
han  in  the  case  of  flat  tools,  and  the  rule  may  be 
ated  as  being  that  they  should  be  ground  on  the  out- 
side and  sharpened  on  the  inside.  It  is,  however 
necessary  to  use  the  oilstone  on  the  outside  first,  to 
remove  the  roughness  left  from  grinding,  and  occasion- 
ally afterwards  to  keep  the  edges  in  condition.  Great 
care  must  be  taken  with  gouges  that  the  edge  acros 


ii 


•=!rtM 


48  PRACTICAL  WOOD  CARVING 

«ng  or  sharpening.  ^""*^" 

The  best  directions  the  beginner  can  have  are  that 

the  sharpening  should  be  done  evenly   all  nLJJT 

edge  being  sharpened  equally      This  \hhn     h 

what  diffi.-i,U  ;„  r.      .•  ■'^'     ^"'^' '^'^hough  some- 

Tt  one  end  of    h    ^^'       ''  "^''^  ^^  ^""^  ^y  ^^Sln-'^S 
at  one  end  of  the  stone,  against  which  a  corner  of  the 

drawn -:r'%r'  ""'"^"-^  ^"^"'"^  ^he  too      s    t  i 
aU   he  ;  n?"^      •"  T^"'  ^"  ^^^'  ^^^er  end,  the  tool  being 
all  the  time  at  right  angles  to  the  stone,  as  before  stated 
This    applies    to    the   outside   of    the    troupe      Th; 
sharpening  proper  must  be  done  on   the TdT  ! 

or  this  the  smal-  .ips  alread/rrflrt^  lo"^  t.t 
used.     Many  amateurs  find  a  difficulty  in  usine  these 

page.    In  other  word,  toVLfn^^f  °?  "  '""'°"' 
the  lool,  and  no,  .„v '.  °„  '  The  ,^    ""  '^""" 

In  the  case-  of  or.linary  cu.ling  ,„ob  the  stone  pro- 


""T^^T^^^ 


CARVERS'  TOOLS  AND  APPLIANCES    49 

duces  a  sufficiently  keen  edge,  but  not  on  carving 
tools.  They  must  be  finished  off  by  stropping,  much 
in  the  same  way  that  a  razor  is  stropped.  Much  has 
been  written  at  various  times  about  preparing  strops 
for  carvers,  but  they  cannot  do  better  than  follow  the 
suggestions  given. 

Still,  any  piece  of  buff  leather  may  be  used      It 
should  be  prepared  by  rubbing  in  a  little  preparation 
composed  of  grease  and  some  very  fine  powder  such 
as    emery    flour,    putty    powder,    the    finest  pumice 
powder,  or  even  dust.     This  latter,  from  its  fineness, 
is  the  best  when  the  strop  has  been  matured,  but  with 
It  alone  some  time  is  required  to  get  the  strop  into 
condition.     Emery  powder,   even    when    -n   its  finest 
form  of  flour,  cuts  away  the  tool  rather  too  much  if 
freely  used,  and  as  a  happy  medium  between  the  two 
extremes  there  is  nothing  superior  to  jewelers'  rouge 
Whether  this  or  anything  else  is  used  it  is  just  rubbed 
into  the  leather  with  a  little  grease  of  any  kind      At 
most  tool  shops  a  "razor  paste'    is  sold  in  small,  col- 
.  lapsible  tubes,  and  does  well  for  the  carver. 

The  strop  must  never  be  absent  when  the  carver  is 
at  work,  for  it  is  in  constant  requisition,  and  it  is  a  bad 
plan  to  neglect  its  use.  The  older  it  gets  the  more 
•ghly  ,t  IS  esteemed  generally,  and  if  the  tools  are 
properly  used  an  occasional  rub  with  the  strop  will 
eep  (he.r  edges  in  such  condition  that  the  oilstone 
■  111  seldom  be  required. 

JTu  "'T"  ^^\'»  the  habit  of  letting  the  tools  all 
get  dull  and  then  having  a  general  sharpening  up-  it 

cZ7TX"  ".^  ''''  *''^  '^  "°*  ^  ^^^^  °-'  -d^he 
TJ  y.  u^^^  "  ^'^''''''  °^  ^^^P'"&  his  tools  con- 
stantly  ,n  the  best  possible  condition. 

Before  concluding  on  this  subject  it  may  be  well  to 


50  PRACTICAL  WOOD  CARVING 

give  the  novice  a  reliable  test  by  which  it  may  be 
ascertained  whether  the  edges  of  the  tools  are 
sufficiently  sharp.  It  is  very  simple,  and  consists 
merely  m  cutting  across  the  grain  of  a  piece  of  soft 
wood,  pine  being  generally  used  for  the  purpose.  If 
the  tools  cut  the  wood  cleanly,  leaving  a  smooth  sur- 
face, they  are  all  right.  If,  however,  there  is  any 
appearance  of  roughness  from  the  grain  of  the  wood 
havmg  been  torn  through  rather  than  cut,  the  edges  of 
the  tools  are  not  sharp  enough,  and  the  carver  should 
not  be  satisfied  with  them  until  they  will  stand  the 
above  test. 

It  may  be  noted  that  an  edge  may  be  sharp  enough 
to  cut  a  hard  wood  er,sily  and  yet  not  cut  a  soft  one 
clearly.  Hence  the  lecommendation  to  test  tools  on 
pine.  If  they  cut  it  properly  they  may  be  used  on  any 
knd  of  wood. 

I  do  not  know  that  I  can  add  anything  to  the  fore- 
going in  the  way  of  sharpening  the  tools  mentioned; 
there  will,  however,  be  other  cutting  tools  we  will 
meet  before  the  volume  is  completed,  the  care  and 
sharpening  of  which  wi!!  be  discussed  when  we  reach 
the  proper  place. 

It  will  now  be  in  order  to  consider  the  methods  in 
general  use  to  hold  the  work  in  position  while  being 
operated  on.  Those  who  cannot  command  a  work- 
room and  regular  bench  may  b-  assured  that  excellent 
work  can  be  done  on  an  ordinary  table  provided  it  is 
substantial  enough  to  be  rigid,  or  can  be  fixed  in  some 
way  as  already  indicated.  It  can  hardly  be  too 
strongly  insisted  on  that  unless  the  table  or' bench  be 
sufficiently  firm  to  resist  the  thrusts  against  the  tool 
when  carving,  good  work  cannot  be  done.  Therefore 
those  who  have  not  a  perfectly  firm  bench  will  do  well 


^^w 


CARVERS'  TOOLS  AND  APPLIANCES    51 

to  confine  themselves  to  small  carving,  such  as  can  be 
done  without  moving  or  shaking  the  bench  or  table. 

It  may  be  as  well  to  say  here  that  even  a  table  with 
a  good  top  which  one  would  not  wish  to  injure,  such 
as  a  dining  table,  may  be  used  by  the  carver. 

The  next  important  point  to  be  considered  is  the 
method  to  be  adopted  for  holding  the  wood  while  it 
IS  being  carved,  for  it  must  be  known  that  both  the 
carver's  hands  are  engaged  with  the  cutting  tool.  It 
is  useless  to  attempt  to  hold  the  wood  with  one  hand 
and  to  carve  with  the  other. 

Although  the  wood  must  be  rigidly  held  so  that  it 
cann.  t  slip  about  on  the  bench  top.  it  is  also  desirable 
that  It  should  be  easily  released  and  fixed  in  an  altered 
position,  for  it  is  often  necessary  to  do  so  to  get  at 
particular  parts. 

A  good  deal  depends  on  the  work  itself  as  to  what  is 
the  most  convenient  way  of  securing  it  to  the  bench, 
and   it   is   impossible    to  give    directions  which   shall 
apply  equally  to   each   and   evry  case.     The  carver 
must  use  his  own  discretion  and  consider  what  facilities 
are  available.    To  guide  him,  the  following  suggestions 
will   be   sufficient.      If    an   ordinary  joiners"   bench   is 
used.  It  will  be  provided  with  a  bench  vise,  which  may 
be  useful  occasionally,  but  it  is  so  rarely  indispensable 
to  the  carver  that  nothing  more  need  be  said  about  it 
For    flat    work,    i.e.,    incised    or   chip   carving    on 
the   flat,   by  far  the  most    convenient    appliance  for 
holding  the  wood   is  the  "bench  hold-fast,"  shown  in 
^'g-    19-      It  consists  of  a  round    bar  of    ir6n    which 
passes  through  a  hole  maae  for  the  purpose  in    the 
bench.     The  arm    is   hinged   on   to   it   and   is   raised 
and  depressed  by  means  of  a  screw  working  on  the  top 
of  the  bar,  fixing  the  wood  firmlv  to  the  bench  in  the 


Pig.  19. 


52  PRACTICAL  WOOD  CARVING 

required  position.     To  use  it,  the  long  portion  is  passed 
through  the  hole  in  the  bench  top,  the  panel  is  placed 
under  the  end  of  the  curved  portion, 
and  the  screw  turned.     To  prevent 
the  panel  being  damaged  by  the  iron, 
a  piece  of    waste  wood  can   be   in- 
serted between  them.     The   "wood 
carvers'    screw,"  shown   in  Fig.  20, 
is  another  useful   appliance  of  rec- 
ognized merit  for  all  kinds  of  car\'- 
ing,  and    indispensable  to  the  pro- 
fessional carver. 

It  is  very  simple,  consisting  only 
of  a    strong    iron  screw,    which    is 
passed  through  a  hole  in  the  table, 
into  which    it  should    fit  somewhat 
.    .  tightly;  it  is  then  screwed  up  into  a 

similar  hole  bored  in  the  body  of  the 

carving   and    secured    by  an   iron  nut 

under  the  table  which,  when  screwed 

home,  fixes  it  down  to  the  table  as  firmly 

as  required;    the    iron    may  penet  ate 

into  the  wood  as  far  as   the  nature  of 

the  carving  will  permit,  the  farther  the 

better,  as  the  greater  hold  it  takes  so 

much  the  more  firmness  will  be  insured. 

Great  care  must  be  taken  on  first  bor- 
ing the  hole  to  guard  against  the  carv- 
ing and  also  to  see  that  the  boring  is 

straight. 

It  will  often   be  convenient  to  have 
a  block  of  wood  with  a  hole  in  it  for  ^'°"  ^°- 

the  screw  to  pass  through  underneath  the  bench.    This 
block  not  only  prevents  the  wood  about  the  hole  in 


•«i.l  "«!»"*  "US^Bfe""-. 


'^^ir-_^i. 


CARVERS'   TOOLS  AND  APPLIANCES    53 

the  bench  being  worn  away,  but  saves  a  good  deal  of 
time  and  trouble  otherwise. 

The  screw  although  it  may  be  used  for  panel  carv- 
ing  IS  specially  useful  for  work  which  cannot  well  be 
kept  in  place  by  the  "hold-fast  " 

Apart  from  the  cost,  the  chief  objection-from  an 
amateur  s  pomt  of  v.ew-to  both  hold-fast  and  screw  is 
the  necessity  of  having  a  work  bench  or  table  used 
exclusively  for  such,  on  account  of  the  hole  in  the 
top.  ih.s,  of  course,  cannot  be  allowed  on  a  table 
and  other  means  must  then  be  devised  for  holding  the 
work.     That  these  are  not  altogether  of  a  makeshift 


Fio.  22. 

character  may  be  inferred  from  the  fact  of  professional 
carvers  occasionally  using  them 
As  the  protection  of  the  table'top  is  often  an  object, 

ZnAA^u    l^'"^^^^'  that  this  can  be  sufficiently 
provided  for  by  having  what  may  be  called  a  false  top 
The  size  of  this  piece  must  depend   on  that  of  the 

cTrved      P       -i  : -'^  '^   '"""^^   '^  ^  P--'.   being 
carved      Provided  it  is  larger,  nothing  more  is  wanted! 

so  that  a  piece  of  boarding  i   inch  thick  and  a  few 

inches  larger  than  the  panel  will  do  very  well 

To  hold  this  board  to  the  table  the  ordinary  wooden 

h^ndscrews,  as  m  Fig.  22,  may  be  used,  and  if  the 


54 


PRACTICAL  WOOD  CARVING 


K;Mn>ff„f>,„f' 


!! 


carving  is  sufficiently  far  from  the  edge  of  the  wood 
they  do  well.  The  manner  of  its  working  is  shown  in 
Fig.   23.     There  is,   however,   the  objection   that  the 

ends  of  the  screws,  being 
above  the  table,  may  be  in 
the  way  of  the  carver.     Un- 

I  ^        I      rr*    less  the  work  is  very  large, 

T=Y  ^      small  iron  cramps,  of  which 

I     /  there  are  many  varieties,  are 

Fig.  23.  preferable;    one  of   them    is 

shown  in  Fig.  24,  and  it  will 
be  seen  that  by   having  the   screw  downwards  there 
is  very  little  projection  above,  and  even  this  may  be 
done  away  with  by  cutting 
a  small  space  in  the  top 
of  the  carving  board.  The 
method  of  its  application 
is  shown  in  Fig.  25.     It  is 
seldom    that    one    cramp 
will   hold   this   firmly,  but 
as  they  are  very  cheap  it 
is  not  a  serious  matter  to 
have  two  or  three  of  them. 
If     possible,     the     board 
should     be    placed    at    a 
corner  of  the  table,  as  it  is 
then  so  much  easier  to  se- 
cure it. 

The  work  being  carved 
may  be  fastened  to  the 
board  or  simply  held  to  it 
in  any  position  that  may  suit  the  carver.  In  the  former 
case  the  position  of  the  board  must  be  altered, 
and   to  do  so  is  not  always    convenient.      Which   is 


Fig.  24. 


CARVERS'  TOOLS  AND  APPLIANCES    55 

the  better  plan  to  pursue,  the  carver  must  decide  for 
himself. 

If  the  panel  is  to  be  fixed  to  the  board,  it  may  be 
managed  by  means  of  scre-'s  or  glue.     The  screws  are 
merely  driven  through  from  below  the  board  into  the 
panel.     This  way  does  very  well  if  the  screw  holes  are 
not  a  disfigurement,  and  if    the  panel  is  suflficiently 
thick  for  the  screw  points  to  hold  in  it  without  there 
being  any  risk  of  the  carving 
tool  coming    in    contact    with 
them.     If  the  screws  are  inad- 
missible, glue    must    be  used; 
but  if  the  two  surfaces  are  di- 
rectly glued  together  it  will  be 
diflficult,   if  not  impossible,  to 
get   them  apart  again  without 
injury.     The  way  to  manage  is 
to   glue  them  together  with  a 
piece  of  paper  between.     Thus 
a  piece  is  stuck  on  the  panel 
and  this  is  then  glued  to  the 
boards.       When    the    work   is 
done,  by  inserting  a  knife  blade 
between    the    two    pieces     the 
paper    splits    and    they    come 
apart.     Almost  any  kind  of  paper  &.\y  be  used,  but 
none  is  better  than  newspaper.     It  is  seldom  necessary 
to  glue  the  entire  surface,  as  a  touch  here  and  there,  at 
the  discretion  of  the  worker,  is  generally  sufficient. 

It  may  be  as  well  to  remind  the  beginner  that  it  is 
sometimes  useful,  even  when  the  hold-fast  or  carvers' 
screw  is  used,  to  have  a  piece  of  wood  fastened  on 
behind  the  carving;  for  instance,  when  the  former 
might  damage  the  carving  if  laid  directly  on  its  face, 


Fig.  25. 


56 


PRACTICAL  WOOD  CARVING 


or  when  the  panel  is  so  thin  that  the  screw  could  not 
be  used  with  it. 

.K^u*^"  '^  ''  '^"''■^'^  ^°  ^^''^  ^^'^  carving  movable  on 
the  board,  the  devices  that  may  be  used  are  almost 
endless  in  their  modifications,  and  only  a  few  can  be 
suggested. 

Three  or  four  screw  nails  may  be  driven  into  the 
board,  close  to  the  edges  of  the  panel,  so  as  to  prevent 
Its  movng.  The  heads  of  the  nails  clamp  the  panel 
down  sufficiently.  This  method  seems  more  cumber- 
some than  it  really  is.  for  it  is  seldom  necessary  to 
remove  and  refix  more  than  one  or  two  of  the  screws 
whenever  the  position  of  the  panel  is  altered. 

A  more  fanciful  method,  and  one  which  has  some 
advantages  over  the  foregoing,  is  to  bore  a  series  of 
holes  ,n  the  lower  board  and  cut  pegs  to  fit  them. 
With  a  sufficiency  of  holes  and  a  little  management,  it 
will  be  found  easy  to  fix  the  panel  in  any  desired 
position  with  four  or  five  pegs.     These  should  be  of 
sufficient  stoutness  to  resist  the  thrusts  of  the  carving 
tools    and  must  project  over  the  board,  so  that  the 
panel   is  against  them.     A  fresh  hole  can  easily  •■- 
made  whenever  required. 
A  more  workmanlike  plan,   and  one  that  is  wen 

simpler  than 
the  above,  is 
tohaveoneor 
more  wood- 
en catches 
shaped  some- 
what as  Fig. 
26.  They  can 


sisp,, 


P/        86. 


wood.    The  part  cut  away  for  the  thickness  of  the 


CARVERS'  TOOLS  AND  APPLIANCES    57 

panel    should    be  a  trifle  less   than  this,  so  that  on 
tightening  the  screw  the  carving  is  firmly  held. 

If  loosening  and  tightening  the  screw  each  time  the 
panel  has  to  be  moved  is  objected  to.  the  alternative 
of  having  the  opening  deeper  than  the  thickness  of  the 
panel  may  be  adopted.     The  panel  then  fits  in  quite 
loosely,  and  can  be  easily  fastened  with  a  wedge  or 
two  driven  in  above  the  panel.     Putting  in  the  wedge 
below  the  panel  would  have  the  effect  of  tightening 
up,  but  the  panel  might  not  lie  firmly,  i.^-.,  it  might 
give  too  much  under  the  pressure  of  the  tools      It  is 
in  just  such  instances  that  the  discretion  of  the  carver 
will  come  into  play.     What  may  be  the  easiest  and 
best  method  in  certain  circumstances  may  be  awkward 
and  unsatisfactory  in  others,  and  so  much  is  this  the 
case  that  it  may  almost  be  said  that  an  expert  carver 
has  no  hard  and  fast  regulations  for  fixing  work,  but 
varies    his    methods    as    occasion    requires.     All    he 
requires  is  that  the  work  shall  be  held  sufficiently  firm 
to  allow  of  the  tools  being  used  efficiently,  and  that 
alterations  in  position  can  be  made  easily  and  with- 
out loss  of  time.     If  the  learner  will   remember  these 
general  principles  he  will  be  saved  some  perplexity  in 
knowing  how  to  hold  any  piece  of  carving  he  may  be 
engaged  on. 

An  exceedingly  good  device  to  fasten  on  a  table  or 
bench  IS  shown  in  Fig.  2r.  it  has  the  advantage  of 
compactness  and  is  made  to  use  on  any  table  without 
injuring  it;  for  this  object  the  three  rests  on  the  table 
and  the  top  of  the  little  movable  square,  C,  are  covered 
with  baize;  when  screwed  up  close  to  the  table  the 
stand  IS  p^-rfectly  secure  and  it  is  a  plan  which  I  can 
recommend  from  my  own  experience;  should  it,  how- 
ever,  be  desirable  not  to  go  to  this  expense,  any  old 


58  PRACTlC.vF.  WOOD  CARVING 

tabic  will  answer  th.  purpose  if  it  can  be  fixed  so  as  to 
be  perfectly  firm.  ,  },!  levice  is  a  little  costly,  but  is 
well  worth  all  that  m..v  :  ■  paid  for  it 

In  addition  to  the  abo..-  tools,  carvers  occasionally 
use  one  called  a  "r  >„f t  "  or  what  the  carpenter  call^ 


Fig.  27. 

an  ''old  hag's  tooth."  Fig.  .8.     This  is  a  kind  of  plane 
with  a  narrow,   perpendicular   blade.     It  is  used  for 
d.ggmg  or 'touting"  out  the  wood  in  places  where  i 
s  to  be  sunk  to  form  a  ground.     It  is  not  a  tool  to  be 
recommended  for  the  use  of   bcHnners    -h       5      m 

Uarnir^^^)  ~     •  .  "^^r^'nUU^,,     who    should 

learn  to  make  suflfic.ently  even  backgrounds  .vithout  the 


Flo.  38. 


CARVERS'   TOOLS  AND  APPLIANCES    59 

aid  of  mrchanical  contrivances.     Carvers  also  use  the 
r.rier.     wh.ch  .s  a  bent  file.     This  is  useful  for  very 
fine   work    u,    hard   wood,   and    also  for   roughly   ao- 
proxiniating  to  &    /      F 

rounded  forms 
before  finish- 
ing with  the 
tools. 

A  fi  vv  join- 
ers' tools  are 
very  us(  ful  to 
the  carv<  r  and 
should  form  part  of  h.s  equ.  .ment.     A  wide  chisel 

«ay  al.,ut   ,>^  i„,  hes  wide,  a  small     ,.n  "bull-nose'' 
piane^an.    a  keyhole  saw  will  all  be  hdpful  and  save 

a  lot  of  unnecL  sary  la- 
bor    with    the    carving 
tools,  also   one  or  two 
Ftg.  29.  ordinary    -  ivvs  fo     cut- 

,   .,      _,.  *'"?    off     and     rmping 

stutt.     The  regular  carpenter,  of  cour  e.  u  :!1  have  al! 

these  tools,  but  as  this  work   is  prepared  i  ,r  ail  so. 

ot  people,    many  of  whom    mav  not    be  .  iri-nter 

general  instruc-  '  ' 

tions    must   be  |V~    S^      ^^^ — v^ 

given.                       \         V;^^r:=   i^ff        :^  ^ 
The    "riflcr-'    \  ^ %Zr^=r-^r  .^=:^S^ 

or   bent  file   is        \ 

shown    in    F\ 

29.     It   is  used 


Fu;,   30. 


3. 


for  cleaning  out  or  smoothing  surfarts  where  the 
flat  tools  cannot  be  used.  These  iiav  be  bou^h,  a^  tb- 
haruware  store,  or  files  may  be  .ottent  .nd  bent  to 
shape  and  then  hardened  again. 


6o 


PRACTICAL  WOOD  CARVING 


The  bench  hook  is  an  indispensable  article  to  the 
wood  carver  whether  amateur  or  professional,  its  pur- 
pose  being  to  hold  the  wood  while  the  shoulders   etc 
are  being  cut.     Fig.  30  shows  a  piece  of  wood  marked 

out  ready  for 
shaping  into 
the  "hook," 
the  grained 
portion  having 
to  be  cut  away. 

.cj.e.,   .H.  o.„  3.e,  .e,„,  .  .c^es^iV.^ 

The  complete  hook  is  shown  in  Fi^  ,1   ^nA  ;„ 
t   s  laiH  ar-,,r>co  ♦!,     L       i      7.  '^ 's  3 ^  and  m  use 

latter  Jt  A      .  I      u    ^"'^'  '''PP'"&  ^he  sides  of  the 
latter  at  A   while  the  wood  to  be  cut  rests  aeainst  K 
wh.ch  receives  the  thrust  of  the  saw.  ^  ^' 


Fig.  31. 


CHAPTER  II 


WOODS 

After  tools,   the    materials  on  which  to  use  them 
stand  next  m  importance.     In  the  choice  of  these  the 
worker  must  be  guided    by  the  nature  and   style  J 
carvings  he  ch.efly  affects;  speaking  generally,  oak  !s 
the  best  wood  for  large  subjects,  and  ebony  or  box! 
wood  for  small,  mmute  work;  but  walnut,  whitewood 
chestnut  (both    horse    and    Spanish),   mahogany  and 
basswood  are  all  suited  to  the  purpose,  whife  sandal- 
wcod,  apple,  pear,  holly,  cypress,  fig  and  lemon  tree 
bemg  hard  and  fine  grained,  may  all  be  used  with  good 
effect,  according  to  the  style  and  size  of  the  carving 
and  other  circumstances.     English  oak   is  much  to  be 
preferred  to  home-grown  wood,  which  is  of  a  hard  and 
tough  nature,  and  liable  to  knots,  wh.ch  are  a  great 
impediment  to  the  carver  and  from  which  most  fofeign 
oak  ,s  comparatively  free.     These  oaks  may  be  known 
by  the  close  and  smooth  grain  and  somewhat  gray 
tinge,  our  wood  be.ng  coarser  grained  and  of  dingy 
color.     Oak  .s  especially  suited  to  decorate  work  in  a 

^orZZ       n'^"'  '^^  -^'-•-^'-'  P-poses  and 
tor  imitation  antique  carving 

nextatrnfk'f""*   '"^    ""'^^^'"^   "^^   »^^  ^'^^^^d 
next  after  oak  for  carvings  which,  though  large,  require 

ITIT:V?''''''-     ^'  -^hogany  the're  ar  '  wo 
very  d  st.nct  kinds,  one  of  them  being  comparatively 

Inv      h  '\k"T  f  .^^y-^'^^d    or  Honduras  mahog- 
any-the  other  kind  ,s  harder  and  darker  and  known 

6i 


62 


PRACTICAL  WOOD  CARVING 


as  Spanish;  many  of  the  works  of  the  great  Gibbons 
are  carved  in  this  wood,  though  many  of  them  are  in 
the  softer  and  less  durable  whitewoods. 

Black  walnut  is  a  wood  always  in  favor.  It  is  of 
moderate  hardness  and  cuts  cleanly.  Other  walnut 
wood  is  not  so  suitable,  though  occasionally  used. 

Sycamore,  whitewood,  holly  and  woods  of  that 
nature,  being  white  or  cream  colored,  are  only  suited 
to  that  special  style  of  carving  the  beauty  of  which 
depends  on  great  purity  of  coloring — such,  for  instance, 
as  a  minute  basso-relievo  after  a  picture,  models  of 
figures  in  imitation  of  ivory,  groups  of  birds,  or  delicate 
foliage,  such  as  we  sometimes  see  exhibited  in  proof 
of  the  artist's  skill — but  all  these  woods,  unless  pro- 
tected by  glass,  soon  lose  their  extreme  whiteness  and 
with  it  their  chief  beauty;  therefore  they  are  little  used, 
excepting  for  the  trifling  purposes  we  have  just 
mentioned.  The  woods  of  the  apple  and  pear  trees 
arc,  from  the  hard  texture  and  fine  grain,  exceedingly 
pleasant  to  work,  but  their  value  as  productive  trees 
renders  them  rare,  and  the  occasional  deep-colored 
veinings  sometimes  interfere  with  the  design.  Box- 
wood is  equally  hard  and  fiiie  grained,  and  is  far 
superior  in  uniformity  of  color,  which  is  a  rich  yellow. 
The  great  bar  to  the  free  use  of  all  these  hard  woods, 
apart  from  any  difficulty  in  carvinfj  them,  is  the 
difficulty  of  procuring  them  in  pieces  of  any  size,  for 
they  are  mostly  of  small  growth,  rarely  attaining  to 
more  than  lo  or  12  inches  in  diameter. 

Ebony  or  black  wood  is  very  suitable  for  small 
carvings  of  every  description,  whether  for  use  or 
ornament,  the  deep  black  color  and  the  hardness  and 
fine  texture  of  grain  giving  it,  when  polished,  the 
appearance  of  black  marble.     This  wood  is  also  some- 


jj^^r^^v.r\:r-'m^-:['>rwiL*''T:^''mitmBS^mir^it 


WOODS 


63 


what  difficult  to  procure  in  large  blocks,  for  it  rarely 
arrives  here  in  logs  of  any  size  that  are  not  more  or 
less  riven  and  spoilt  by  cracks  and  flaws— "shakes," 
as  they  are  termed  in  timber  merchants'  parlance. 
There  are  two  kinds  of  ebony,  the  green  and  the 
black,  but  for  carving  purposes  there  is  little  or 
nothing  to  choose  between  them,  though  the 
black  is  capable  of  taking  a  finer  polish,  its  only 
drawback  being  an  occasional  white  or  red  streak. 
These  are  rare  and  can  be  easily  obliterated  by 
applying  a  little  ink  to  the  spot  after  the  carving  is 
finished. 

Sandalwood,   from    the  texture,  beautiful    color  (a 
rich  yellow  brown),  and  the  delicious  scent  which  is 
familiar  to  everybody,   is  especially  suited  for  small 
carvings.     The  superabundance  of  oil,  which  emits  so 
delightful  a  fragrance,  causes  it  also  to  take  a  beautiful 
polish  merely  by  rubbing  it  slightly  with  the  hand. 
The   best   sandalwood    is    brought    from    India    and 
Ceylon.     It  also,  like  ebony,  is  difficult  to  procure  in 
sound  pieces.     It   is  sold,   as  are  the  most  valuable 
woods,   by  weight.     Small    pieces    are    cheaper  than 
large  ones  in  proportion,  unless  they  are  prepared  and 
squared  to  any  given  size,  and  then  they  are  far  more 
expensive,  as  in  the  course  of  preparation  two  or  three 
logs  may  perhaps  be  cut  up  and  spoilt  before  one  can 
be  found  without  flaw,  and  of  course  this  waste  is  taken 
into  account  and  charged  for  by  the  wood  merchant. 
Ebony  and  boxwood  are  sold    in  the  same  manner. 
Each   little  piece  is  valued  for  the  smell,   even  the 
chips  and  sawdust  being  treasured  by  some  people  to 
burn  on  the  hearth  to  scent  the  room. 

Ordinary  woods— oak,    walnut,    mahogany,    white- 
wood,     maple    and     others— are     generally    sold    by 


64 


PRACTICAL  WOOD  CARVING 


measur-  ments  and  can  be  bought  in  quantities  from  a 
timber  Ticrthant,  or  if  only  a  smalf  piece  be  wanted, 
from  a  carpenter  or  a  cabinetmaker.  The  hard  woods,* 
if  the  carver  live  in  the  country,  are  more  difficult 
to  procure.  Occasionally  a  carpenter  with  a  good 
stock  may  be  found,  and  he  may  be  willing  to  sell 
some,  but  this  is  often  an  expensive  way;  therefore 
It  would  be  wiser  to  buy  from  a  regular  dealer  when 
possible. 

It  is  needless  to  say  that  the  longer  all  kinds  of 
wood  are  kept  before  being  used  so  much  the  better 
seasoned  they  will  be.    We  would,  therefore,  advise  all 
who  can  conveniently  do  so  to  lay  in  a  stock  of  those 
woods  which  they  are  in  the  habit  of  using.     It  must 
however,  be  stored  up  with  care,  excessive  heat  and 
all  damp  being  avoided.     If  possible,  saw  out  the  piece 
required  a  short  time  before  the  actual  carving  is  com- 
menced, as  then  any  little  defect  which  on  first  being 
cut  would  be  imperceptible  will  be  detected.     This  is 
a  very  wise  p-ecaution,  as  nothing  is  more  dishearten- 
ing and  provoking  than  to  be  obliged  to  cast  aside 
work  commenced,  and    on  which  perhaps  time  and 
labor  have  been  expended,  on  account  of  the  material 
turning  out  worthless. 

It  will  generally  be  found  that  wood  got  from  a 
dealer  of  repute  is  seasoned,  but  this  is  not  always  the 
same  as  being  dry;  hence  the  necessity  of  the  foreffoine 
caution.  ^ 

Pine  is  generally  regarded  as  being  too  common  for 
carving  purposes,  but  there  is  no  -eason  why  it  should 
be  altogether  neglected.  It  is  cheap  and  soft,  so  that 
for  the  beginner  it  is  perhaps  the  best  wood  that  can 
begot.  If  care  be  taken  in  selection,  it  can  be  got 
free  from  knots  in  sufficiently  large  pieces.     Red  or 


WOODS 


65 


yellow  pine  should  be  used,  not  spruce,  which  is  very 
knotty  and  unpleasant  to  work. 

Whitewood  is  another  good  and  cheap  wood  which 
has  come  into  co'isiderable  use  the  last  few  years.  It 
cuts  cleanly  and  is  remarkably  free  from  knots  or  flaws 
of  any  kind.  When  suitably  stained  it  is  very  like 
walnut  in  appearance. 

As  ivory  has  a  fascination  for  many  amateurs,  it 
should  be  pointed  out  that  this  material  is  very  costly, 
and  that  the  difficulty  of  carving  it  properly  is  so  great 
that  It  is  quite  unsuitable  till  considerable  proficiency 
has  been  acquired.  Various  imitations  are  made,  but 
the  best  of  them  is  xylonite,  which  so  far  as  appear- 
ance IS  concerned  is  not  to  be  distinguished  from  the 
real  thing.  To  prevent  disappointment,  the  variety 
known  as  ivory  grain  should  be  got.  It  cuts  fairly 
easy,  the  only  objection  to  it  being  that  it  very  quickly 
blunts  the  tools. 

The  following  woods  may  be  considered  as  having 
nn  intermediate  place  between  soft  and  hard:  syca- 
more, beech  and  holly.  They  are  light-colored  woods, 
and  very  useful  for  broad,  shallow  work. 

Of  the  hard  woods  in  common  use  the  principal  kinds 
are  oak,  walnut,  and  occasionally  mahogany.  Of  oak, 
the  English  variety  ii:  by  far  the  best  for  the  carver', 
being  close  in  the  gr  in  and  very  hard.  It  is  beyond 
all  others  the  carver's  wood,  and  was  invariably  used 
by  them  in  England  during  the  robust  period  of 
medic-Eval  craftsmanship.  It  offers  to  the  carver  an 
invigorating  resistance  to  his  tools,  and  its  character 
determines  to  a  great  extent  that  of  the  work  put  upon 
It.  It  takes,  in  finishing,  a  very  beautiful  surface  when 
skillfully  handled,  and  this  tempts  the  carver  to  make 
the  most  of  his  opportunities  by  ad.ipling  his  execution 


ft 


66 


PRACTICAL  WOOD  CARVING 


to  Its  virtues.  Other  oaks,  such  as  Austrian  and 
American,  are  often  used,  but  they  do  not  offer  quite 
the  same  tempting  opportunity  to  the  carver.  They 
are,  by  nature,  quicker  growing  trees  and  are,  con- 
sequently, more  open  in  the  grain.  They  have  tough, 
sinewy  fibers,  alternating  with  softer  material.  They 
rarely  take  the  same  degree  of  finish  as  the  English 
oak,  but  remain  somewhat  dull  in  texture.  Good 
pieces  for  carving  maybe  got,  but  they  must  be  picked 
out  from  a  quantity  of  stuff.  Chestnut  is  sometimes 
used  as  a  substitute  for  oak,  but  is  better  fitted  for  large 
scaled  work  where  fineness  of  detail  is  not  of  so  much 
importance. 

Italian  Walnut.  This  is  a  very  fine-grained  wood, 
of  even  texture.  The  Italian  variety  is  the  best  for 
carving;  it  cuts  with  something  of  the  firmness  of 
English  oak  and  is  capable  of  receiving  even  more 
finish  of  surface  in  small  details.  It  is  admirably 
suited  for  fine  work  in  low  relief.  In  choosing  this 
wood  for  carving,  the  hardest  and  closest  in  grain 
should  be  picked,  as  it  is  by  no  means  all  of  equal 
quality.  It  should  be  free  from  sap,  which  may  be 
known  by  a  light  streak  on  the  edges  of  the  dark  brown 
wood. 

European  walnut  has  too  much  "figure"  in  the  grain 
to  be  suitable  for  carving.  Our  own  walnut  is  best 
fitted  for  sharply  cut,  shallow  carving,  as  its  fiber  is 
caney.  If  it  is  used,  the  design  should  be  one  in 
which  no  fine  modeling  or  detail  is  required,  as  this 
wood  allows  of  little  finish  to  the  surface.* 

Mahogany,  more  especially  the  kind  known  as 
Honduras,  is  very  similar  to  our  walnut  in  quality  of 
grain;  it  cuts  in  a  sharp  caney,  manner.  The  "Spanish" 
variety  was  closer  in  grain,  but  is  now  almost  unpro- 


3! 


WOODS 


67 


curable.  Work  carved  in  mahogany  should,  like  that 
in  American  walnut,  be  broad  and  simple  in  style, 
without  much  rounded  detail. 

It  is  quite  unnecessary  to  pursue  the  subject  of 
woods  beyond  the  few  kinds  mentioned.  Woods 
such  as  ebony,  sandalwood,  cherry,  briar,  box,  pear- 
tree,  lancewood  and  many  others  are  all  good  for  the 
carver,  but  are  better  fitted  for  special  purposes  and 
small  work.  As  this  book  is  concerned  more  with  the 
art  of  carving  than  its  application,  it  will  save  con- 
fusion if  we  accept  yellow  pine  as  our  typical  soft 
wood  and  good  close-grained  oak  as  representing  hard 
wood.  It  may  be  noted  in  passing  that  the  woods  of 
all  flowering  and  fruit-bearing  trees  are  very  liable  to 
the  attack  of  worms  and  rot. 

No  carving,  in  whatever  wood,  should  be  polished. 
I  shall  refer  to  this  when  we  come  to  "texture  and 
finish." 


-^"'^'^-•^"^■'""^^ 


i 


CHAPTER  III 

SOMETHING  ON    THE   GRAIN   OF   WOOD   AND   OTHER 
IMPORTANT   MATTERS 

It  Is  curious  to  imagine  what  the  inside  of  a  young 
enthusiast  s  head  must  be  like  when  he  makes  his  first 
conscious     step     towards     artistic    expression.     The 
chaotic  jumbles  of  half-formed  ideas,  whirling  about 
m  Its  recesses,  produce  kaleidoscopic  effects,  which  to 
h.m  look  l.ke  the  most  lovely  pictures.     If  he  could 
only  learn  to  put  them  down!     Let  him  but  acquire  the 
echn.cal  department  of  his  art  and  what  is  easier  than 
to  realize  those  most  marvelous  dreams?     Later  in  his 
progress  It  begins  to  dawn  upon  him  that  this  same 
technical  department  may  not  be  so  very  obedient  to 
his  wishes;  it  may  have  laws  of  its  own  which  shall 
change  his  fairy  fancies  into  sober  images  not  at  all 
unlike  something  which  has  often  been  done  before  by 
others.     But  let  the  young  soul  continue  to  see  visions; 
the  more  the  better,   provided  they  be  of  the  right 
sort.     We  shall  n,  the  meantime  ask  him  to  curb  his 
imagination  and  yield  his  faculties  for  the  moment  to 
the  apparently  simple  task  of  realizing  a  leaf  or  two 
from  one  of  the  trees  in  his  enchanted  valley 

With  the  student's  kind  permission  we  shall,  while 
these  lessons  continue,  make  believe  that  teacher  and 
pupil  are  together  in  a  classroom,  or  better  still,  in  a 
country  workshop,  with  chips  flying  in  all  directions 
under  busy  hands. 

I  must  tell  you,  then,  that  the  first  surprise  which 
awaits  the  beginner,  and  one  which  opens  his  eyes  to 

68 


L 


GRAIN  OF  WOOD  AND  OTHER  MATTERS  69 

a  whole  series  of  restraints  upon  the  freedom  of  his 
operations,  lies  in  the  discovery  that  wood  has  a 
decided  grain  or  fiber.  He  will  find  that  it  sometimes 
behaves  m  a  very  obstinate  manner,  refusing  to  cut 
straight  here,  chipping  off  there,  and  altogether 
seeming  to  take  pleasure  in  thwarting  his  every  effort. 
liy  and  by  he  gets  to  know  his  piece  of  wood— where 
the  gram  dips  and  where  it  comes  up  or  wriggles— and 
with  practice  he  becomes  its  master.  He  finds  in  this 
his  first  technical  difficulty,  a  kind  of  blessing  in 
disguise,  because  it  sets  bounds  to  what  would  other- 
wise be  an  infinitely  vague  choice  of  methods. 

We  -hall  now  take  a  piece  of  yellow  pine,  free  from 
knots,  and  planed  clean  all  round.  The  size  may  be 
about  12  inches  long  by  7  inches  wide.  We  shall  fix 
this  to  the  bench  by  means  of  two  clamps,  or  one  clamp 
and  a  screwed  block  at  opposite  corners.  Now  we  are 
ready  to  begin  work,  but  up  to  the  present  we  have 
not  thought  of  the  design  we  intend  executing,  being 
so  intent  upon  the  tools  and  impatient  for  an  attack 
upon  the  silky  wood  with  their  sharp  edges. 

The  illustration,  Fig.  32,  gives  a  clue  to  the  sort  of 
design  to  begin  with;  it  measures  about  ii  inches  long 
by  7  inches  wide,  allowing  a  margin  all  round      The 
wood  should  be  a  little  longer  than  the  design,  as  the 
ends  get  spoiled  by  the  clamps.      This  little  design 
need  not,  and  indeed  should  not,  be  copied      Make 
one  for  yourself  entirely  different,  only  bearing  in  mind 
the  points  which  are  to  be  observed  in  arranging  it 
and  which   have  for   their    object  the    avoidance    of 
difficulties   likely  to  be   too    much   for  a  first  effort 
Ihese  points  are  somewhat  to  this  effect:  the  design 
should  be  of  leaves,  laid  out  flat  on  a  background,  with 
no  complication  of  perspective.     They  should  have  no 


70  PRACTICAL  WOOD  CARVING 

undulations  of  surface.  That  is  to  say.  the  margins  of 
all  the  features  should  be  as  nearly  as  possible  the 
ongmal  surface  of  the  wood,  which  may  have  just  the 
leas  poss.ble  b.t  of  finish  in  the  manner  I  shall  describe 
later  on.  The  articulation  of  the  leaves  and  flower  is 
represented  by  simple  gouge  cuts.  There  should  be 
"oth.ng  ,n  the  design  requiring  rounded  surfaces. 
The  passage  for  tools  in  clearing  out  the  ground 
between  the  features  must  not  be  less  than  ^  inch; 
this  will  allow  the  A  inch   corner  grounder  Vo  pas 


Fig.  32. 

freely  backwards  and  forwards.     The  ground  is  sup- 
posed  to  be  sunk  about  ^  of  an  inch 

As  you  have  not  got  your  design  made.  I  shall,  for 
convenience'  sake  explain  how  Fig.  32  should  be 
begun  and  finished.  First  having  traced  the  full-size 
design.  It  should  be  transferred  to  the  wood  by  means 
of  a  piece  of  blue  carbon  paper.  Then  with  either  the 
ve.ner  or  V  tool  outline  the  whole  of  the  leaves  etc 
about  yi  inch  deep,  keeping  well  on  the  outside  of  the 
tlrawi.j^.     ij^nore  all    minor    detail    for  the   present 


4>i  .-<;, 


GIL\IN  OF  wool    AND  OTHER   MATTERS  71 

blocking  out  the  design  in  masses.     No  outline  need 

be  grooved  ior  the  margin  of  the  panel  at  present,  as 

It  should  be  done  with  a  larger  tool.     For  this  purpose 

take  gouge  No.  6  }i  inch  wide  (see  Figs.  37  and  38), 

and  begin  at  the  left-hand  bottom  corner  of  the  panel', 

cut  a  groove  about  ^j  inch  within  the  blue  line,  taking 

care  not  to  cut  off  parts  of  the  leaves  in  the  process; 

begin  a  little  above  the  corner  at  the  bottom  and  leave 

all  a  little  below 

that  at  the  top. 

The  miters  will 

be  formed  later 

on. 

In  this  opeia- 
tion,  as  in  all 
subsequent 
ones,  the  grain 
of  the  wood  will 
be  more  or  less 
in  evidence. 
You  will  by  de- 
grees    g  e  t    t  o 

know  the  piece  of  wood  you  are  working  upon,  and 
cut  in  such  a  way  that  yo^r  tool  runs  wi^/i  the  grain 
and  not  a^ains/  it;  that  is  to  say,  you  will  cut  as  much 
as  possible  on  the  up-hill  direction  of  the  fiber  This 
cannot  always  be  done  in  deep  hollows,  but  then  you 
will  have  had  some  practice  before  you  attempt  these. 
Now  take  chisel  No.  11  and  with  it  stab  into  the 
grooved  outline,  pressing  the  tool  down  perpendicularly 
to  what  you  think  feels  like  the  depth  of  the  ground. 
The  mallet  need  not  be  used  for  this,  as  the  wood  is 
soft  enough  to  allow  of  the  tools  being  pressed  by  the 
hand  alone  as  shown,  but  remember  that  the  force 


Fig.  33. 


72  PRACTICAL  WOOD  CARVINCx 

must  be  pro,,orti...u<l  to  tin,-  depth  dcsinvl  and  to  the 
I     ecfon  of  the  ,rain;  „u.cl,  less  pressure  .  .anted     , 
<in^c  a  tool  mto  the  wood  when  its  ,h\u.  is  „anlle 
-th  the  ,,rain  than  when  it  lies  in  a  crL  diS  „ 
smal    tools  penetrate  „,ore  easily  than  lar.^e  one!   .s' 
a  matter  of  course,  but  one  must  think  of  r!  'se  th  .'i^ 
or  acc.dents  happen.      (See  Fi,s.  33  and  ,  ,,,         ""^' 
When  you  have  been  ail  round  the  design  in  this 
way  w.th  such  gou.es  as  may  be  needed  torthj^slow 

and  quick  curves,  get  the 
wood  out  nearly  down  to 
the  ground,   Iciving  a  lit- 
tle for  finishing.     Do  this 
with  any  tool  'hat  fits  the 
spaces  best;  the  larger  the 
l^etter.       Cut    across    the 
grain  as  much  as  possible, 
not    along    it.      The   flat 
k'ouge  i\o.  I  will  be  found 
useful   for  this  purpose  in 
the  larger  spaces,  and  the 
f'fii.  34.         ^  grounders  for  the   narrow 

passages.     This  Ie,-iv«><j  fh,. 
gr«u,u,  ,„  ..,„,„H  s.a,e,  whi.h  „u,sf  „e  finisher     ":': 

f^us-  ■0,11,  li.anJwi.h  them  cut  down  Ihc  outline  as     • 
accuralely  as  possible  to  the  depth  of  ,he  Rroun     T„d 

r:r;  r  '•  "^'^ '''"''  '"^■•'"""  "-'-■  '"'^'s 

bottom       1,  "ih"'"  ""'"•■  ?  '""'•■  ""'••'"^"^  '"'^-"^  '"e 

d  es.'o.h    "'^  K""8"  ''"  "•"  <-nti  rely  adapt  the,,,- 

ea  ■!  th  ,  ,    r    '^'"■'  "'  ^""^  '""-■=•  <'°  "«  ''""We,  but 

he.   ^     •  u    '"  ^^  ''""'^  ^"-.Twards  with  a  svveeno 

.he.ooKe,ther  a  fl,at  gouge  „.  the  corner  chisel  ,L:[ 


%^^^" 


BSf^-x^yazBomi 


■JSTTait 


GRAIN  OF  WOOD  AND  O    HER   r    \TTERS  ,3 

Now  wc-  have  all  the  ..utiines  ..t  down  to  the  depth 

of  the  backjrroimd.  and  may  proc.  ed  to  clear   ,,  t  the 

wood   hangin-   abo.it    between    the   design   anc.    the 

ground    all    round    it.      We    shall    do   thh    with     the 

grounders,"  usiny  the  largest  ,.ne  when  possible,  and 

only  takuHi  to  the  smallest  uhcn   absoluttiv  nece..arv 

on  account  of  space.     This  done,  w  ■  shall  nov.  proceed 

to  finish  the  hollow  side  of  .he  panel  and   make  the 

nut'Ts.     Ak   m.   take   a,,.  6  go.  -re  and  dri.e  a  clear 

hollow  touching  the  blue  line  at  end  of  panel  and  reach- 


i*'lG.   35. 

ingthe  bottom   of  the  sinking, /,   ..  the  act,:  d  ground 
as  finished,  see  .,.  Fi^r.  36.     To  form   the  muer  at  top 
of  left-hand   side  of  panel,  carr>   the   hollow   on  until 
the   tool   reaches   the  bottom   of    the   hollow   nmnin" 
along  the  top;  as  soon  as  this  point  is  gained,  turn  the 
tool  out  and  pitch  it  a  little  up  in  the  wav  shown  at  c 
iMg.  36,  in  which  the  tool  is  shown  at  an  angle  which' 
brings  tne  edge  of  the  gouge  exactly  on  the  line  of  the 
m.ter  to  be  f   rrned.     Ikginuing  as  it  does  at  fi,  this 
quick  turn  of  the  handle  to  the  left  takes  out  the  little 


m.-ji.Trs.v 


%rMJLlL' 


;  tfi.r<d 


74  PRACTICAL  WOOD  CARVING 

bit  of  wood  shown  by  clotted  lines  at  b,  and  forms  one- 
half  of  the  miter.  The  cross  grain  cut  should  be  done 
first,  as  in  this  way  there  is  less  risk  of  splintering 
Now  repeat  the  process  on  the  long  grain  side  of  the 
panel,  and  one  miter  is  in  a  good  way  for  beine 
finished.  ^ 

A  word  now  about  these  sides  of  sunk  panels 
They  always  look  better  if  they  are  hollowed  with  a 
gouge  instead  of  being  cut  square  down.  In  the  first 
case  they  carry  out  the  impression  that  the  whole 
thing  IS  cut  from  a  solid  piece  of  wood,  whereas  when 
they  are  cut  sharply  down  they  always  suggest 
cab.netmaking.  as  if  a  piece  had  been  glued  on  to 
•  form  a  margin. 

We  have  now  got  the  work  L  locked  out  and  the 
ground  fairly  level,  and  we  are   ready  to  da  the  little 
carving  we  have  allowed  ourselves.     Before  we  begin 
this  I  shall  take   the   opportunity  of  reminding  you 
that  you  must  be  very  careful  in  handling  vour  tools- 
it  IS  a  matter  of  the  greatest  importance,  if  the  con- 
tingency of   cut  fingers  or  damaged   work   is   to   be 
avoided.     The  left  hand  in  carving  has  nearly  as  much 
to  do  as  the  right,  only  in  a  different  way.     Grasp  the 
chisel  or  gouge  in  the  left  hand  with  the  fingers  some- 
what e.xtended,  that  is,  the  little  finger  will  come  well 
on  to  the  blade  and  the  thumb  run  up  towards  the  top 
of  the   handle;    the  wrist   meanwhile  resting   on    the 
work.     The  right  hand    is   used   for  pushing  the  tool 
forward,  and   for  turning  it   this  way  and  that,  in  fact 
does   most  of  the  guiding.     Both   hands   may  be  de- 
scribed as  opposing  each  other  in   force,  for  the  pres- 
sure on  the  tool  from  the  right  hand  should  be  resisted 
by  tie   left   until   almost  a  balance   is  struck  and  just 
enough    force  left    to   cut    the  wood  gently,   without 


f^?a. 


GRAIN  OF  WOOD  AND  OTHER  MATTERS  75 

danger  of  slipping  forward  and  damaging  it  or  the 
fingers.  The  tool  is  thus  in  complete  command,  and 
the  slightest  change  of  pressure  on  either  hand  may 
alter  its  direction  or  stop  it  altogether.  Never  drive  a 
tool  forward  with  one  hand  without  this  counter 
resistance,  as  there  is  no  knowing  what  may  happen  if 
it  slips.  Never  wave  tools  about  in  the  hand,  and 
generally  reme-nber  that  they  are  dangerous  imple- 
ments, both 
to  the  user 
and  the  work. 
Never  put 
too  much 
force  on  a 
tool  when  in 
the  neighbor- 
hood of  a  del- 
icate p  a  s- 
sage,  but  take 
time  and  eat 
the  bit  of 
wood  out 
mouse- 1  i  k  e, 
in  small  frag- 
ments. 

Now    we 


(a) SECTION  or  nARCIN 
(^)  FO^niNG  MARGIN 

(c)  Fo^niNC  MiTi^e 

(D)  FOKMiNC   ClRCkC 

Fig.  36. 


are  ready  to  finish  our  panel.  Take  the  grounders, 
according  to  the  size  required,  always  using  the 
biggest  possible.  Keen  the  tool  well  pressed  down, 
and  s/iave  away  the  roughness  of  the  ground,  giv- 
ing the  tool  a  slight  sidcway  motion  as  well  as  a 
forward  one.  Work  right  up  to  the  leaves,  etc., 
which,  if  cut  deep  enough,  should  al'ow  chips  to  come 
away  freely,  leaving  a  clear  line  of  intersection;  if  it 


ifa^Kisxj^- 


■TSSI'SSP'' 


76 


PRACTICAL  WOOD  CARVING 


does  not,  then  the  upright  sides  must  be  cut  down 
until  the  ground  is  quite  clear  of  chips.  Grounder 
tools  are  verj'^  prone  to  dig  into  the  surface  and  make 
work  for  themselves;  sharp  tools,  practice,  and  a  slight 
sideway  motion  will  prevent  this.  Tool  No.  23  is  use- 
ful in  this  respect,  its  corners  being  slightly  lifted 
above  the  level  of  the  ground  as  it  passes  along. 
Corners  that  cannot  be  reached  with  the  bent  chisels 
may  be  finished  off  with  the  corner  chisel. 

Now  we  come  to  the  surface  decorations,  for  the 
carving  in  this  design  consists  of  little  more.  This  is  all 
done  with  the  gouges.  Generally  speaking,  enter  the 
groove  at  its  widest  end  and  leave  it  at  the  narrowest, 
lowering  the  handle  of  the  tool  gradually  as  you  go 
along,  to  lift  the  gouge  out  of  the  wood,  producing  the 
drawing  of  the  forms  at  the  same  time.  A  gouge  cut 
never  looks  so  well  as  when  done  at  one  stroke; 
patching  it  afterwards  with  amendments  always  pro- 
duces a  labored  look.  If  this  has  to  be  done,  the  tool 
should  be  passed  finally  over  the  whole  groove  to 
remove  the  superfluous  tool  marks— a  sideway  gliding 
motion  of  the  edge,  combined  with  its  forward  motion, 
often  succeeds  in  this  operation.  To  form  the  circular 
center  of  the  flower,  press  down  gouge  No.  5  or  6 
gently  at  first  and  perpendicular  to  the  wood.  When 
a  cut  has  been  made  all  round  the  circle,  work  the 
edge  of  the  tool  in  it,  circus-like,  by  turning  the  handle 
in  the  fingers  round  and  round  until  the  edge  cuts  its 
way  down  to  the  proper  depth.     (See  Fig.  36,  A.) 

Carve  the  sides  of  the  leaves  where  necessary  with 
flat  gouges  on  the  inside  curves,  and  with  chisels  and 
corner  chisels  on  the  outside  ones.  These  should  be 
used  in  a  sliding  or  knife-like  fashion,  and  not  merely 
pushed    forward.     Finish    the    surface    in    the    same 


mm* 


GRAIN  OF  WOOD  AND  OTHER  MATTERS  ^^ 

manner  all  over  between  the  gouge  grooves  and  the 
edges  of  the  leaves,  producing  a  very  slight  bevel  as 


N^l 


N«2       f 


NO  3       i" 


N»^ 


N^7 


^U 


k* 


N?  5       \ 


N?fe        * 


I" 
1 


•A  U  VEINER 


N?5      Tb 

V 

PART  I  NO  "TOOU 

Ul 

u 


o 

bl 

I- 
< 
o 
< 


o 


(A 
uI 
0 

0 

a 


N?  10    "5,       CHISEU 


N?  II      3^- 


fr 


t4?  13   1^      COR^4ER 


,^ 


CHiseu 


N?l^     W  BENT 
CHIS&L. 

N»  lb       fc"  ff 

N*  17       4  OOU&E 


Fig.  37. 


iWM 


78 


PRACTICAL  WOOD  CARVING 


in  section  a,   Fig.  34,  and  this  panel  may  be  called 
finished. 

Fig.  35  is  another  suggestion  for  a  design,  upon 
which  I  hope  you  will  base  one  of  your  own  as  an 
exercise  at  this  stage  of  your  progress. 

The  gouges,  chisels  and  other  tools  referred  to  in 
the  foregoing  are  shown  and  numbered  in  Figs.  37  and 
38.  The  sizes  of  each  tool  are  also  given,  so  that  the 
learner  will  have  no  difficulty  whatever  in  picking  out 
the  exact  tool  he  may  require  to  complete  the  work 
as  shown  in  Figs.  32  and  33.  These  two  illustrations, 
with  the  tools  and  their  sections  shown,  will  be  of 
great  use  to  the  learner  in  many  ways 

We  now  leave  this  subject  and  take  up  the  question 
of  "chip"  or  "spot"  carving,  which  I  hope  to  be  able 
to  explain  and  illustrate  in  such  a  manner  as  to  satisfy 
the  learner  in  every  particular. 

"chip"  or  "spot"  carving,  and  all  about  it 

"Chip"  or  "spot,"  or  "notch"  carving  as  it  is  some- 
times called,  is  by  no  means  new  as  a  rdcreation;  no 
doubt  many  readers  are  aware  that  highly  ornamental 
effects  are  to  be  got  from  it  and  that  the  work,  though 
simi)le,  is  extremely  interesting.  It  is  not,  however, 
generally  known  how  much  may  be  done  with  a 
solitary  tool  made  for  the  purpose.  As  a  rule,  the 
learner  is  told  to  use  carving  tools  of  the  ordinan- 
kind.  These  are  all  very  well  in  their  way,  but  to  use 
them  properly  requires  a  bench  or  table  of  some  kind 
and  a  fair  amount  of  practice.  Even  when  done  with 
them,  chip  carving  as  compared  with  ordinary  carving 
is  easy,  but  is  simpler  still  when  done  with  the  tool 
referred  to.  It  is  not  a  new  one,  but  somehow  or 
other  it  has  escaped  proper  recognition  of  its  powers. 


■»e^«Br"_T:.TI5t'  ^fH^ls^^U^iA  Cl^eWRK 


■"t*JW .^^K  ^^' WrJIf  ftt^ 


GRAIN  OF  WOOD  AND  OTHER   MATTERS  79 

Those  who  have  written  on  the  subject  of  chip  carving 
have  alluded  to  its  existence,  but  as  a  rule  that  is  all, 


N4  20       i 

U 


N?  i\    i 


N?22.      I 


N?23    i* 


N»  2-*^    t 


;PA06  FOiPiM 
N?»  1 .  2. .  3     to    II 

IN  THiS  SH/K^t 


MACCAROWl    TOO". 


Fio.  38. 


j^*-^''^::sssss!mta^ 


'J^i 


80 


PRACTICAL  WOOD  CARVING 


I 


although  it  is  the  tool  for  chip  carving,  and  casv  though 
the  work  may  be,  a  few  directions  will  help  the  novice. 
Perhaps  it  will  be  well  to  explain  what  chip,  or  notch 
carving  as  it  is  often  called,  is  as  distinguished  from 
the  ordinary  kind.  Briefly,  it  is  a  method  of  orna- 
menting  surfaces  generally,  but  not  rjcessarily,  flat, 
by  cutting  variously  shaped  notches  or  hollows  in 
them.  These,  being  arranged  in  an  orderly  manner, 
and  mostly  of  a  geometrical  pattern,  form  the  decora- 
tion. The  cuts,  it  sho^.ld  be  stated,  are  nearly  always 
made  on  the  slant  from  opposite  directions,  so  that  the 
bottom  of  each  notch,  instead  of  being  flat,  is  merely 

the  angle 
formed  by 
the  two 
sides.  As  we 
proceed  fur- 
ther this  will 
Pig.  39.  be  mort  easi- 

ly seen;  in 
the  meantime  let  the  novice  make  with  the  point  of  a 
penknife  two  cuts,  say  %  inch  or  less  apart,  and  of  any 
angle,  though  on  the  surface  of  one  piece  of  wood  and 
sloping  downwards  towards  each  other.  Whatever  the 
angle  at  which  the  cuts  are  made,  thev  must  meet. 
Now  make  two  cuts  at  a  similar  slant  of  the  ends  of  the 
long  one,  and  a  rectangular  notch  will  be  the  result. 
This  is  the  germ  of  all  chip  carving,  the  pattern 
depending  on  the  curves,  size  and  general  arrangement 
of  the  notches. 

The  tool  with  which  this  carving  may  be  done  con- 
sists of  a  hooked  blade  fitted  in  a  handle,  as  shown  in 
tig.  39.  the  blade  being  about  \y^  inches  long.  These 
knives  are   not  generally  kept  at  tool  shops,  but  may 


I 


'»i| 


GRAIN  OF  WOOD  AND  OTHER   MATTERS  8i 


Fig.  40. 


be  obtained  from  many  dealers.  In  shape  different 
blades  vary  slightly,  as  in  Fig.  40;  the  former,  being 
more  rounded  off  and  thinner  towards  the  point,  is  to 
be  preferred  to  the  latter. 

The  carver  does  not  require  to  support  the  work  on 
a  table  or  bench,  though  he  may  do  so  if  desired. 
Genera'')  it  is  just  as  easy  to  hold  the  wood  in  one 
hand  aiul  work  the  knife  with  the 
other.  Instead,  therefore,  of  hav- 
ing the  work  always  lying  flat  on 
the  table,  it  can  be  moved  about 
to  suit  the  kind  of  cut  being 
made.  Herein  lies  the  great  con- 
venience of  the  knife  compared 
with  the  ordinary  carving  tools. 
To  the  majority  of  amateurs  it 
will  feel  more  familiar  in  the 
hand,  from  its  resemblance  to  an  ordinary  knife. 
One  way  of  holding  it  is  with  the  handle  firmly 
grasped  in  the  right  hand,  and  the  first  joint  of  the 
forefinger  curved  over  the  back  of  the  blade.  This  is 
especially  useful  when  the  wood  is  being  held  in  the 
other  hand,  but  unless  the  right  hand  is  moved  as  the 
cut  proceeds,  does  not  give  much  freedom  of  action 
when  the  work  is  on  a  tabic.  Another  way  of  holding 
it,  and  one  by  which  both  power  and  freedom  of 
action  is  gained,  is  to  grasp  the  handle  with  all  four 
fingers,  not  resisting  them  in  the  work.  The  thumb 
gives  the  necessary  support  to  afford  steadiness  to  the 
cut,  and  allows  of  a  cut  of  considerable  length  being 
made.  Great  power  may  also  be  gained  by  resting 
the  thumb  against  the  edge  of  the  piece  of  wood  being 
carved,  if  this  is  not  too  large.  The  second  and 
third  methods  will  be  found  exceedingly  useful  when 


83 


PRACTICAL  WOOD  CARVING 


I 


|f 


cutting   curves,  which  are   the  most  difficult  notches 
at  first. 

In  order  to  make  a  curved  notch  easily,  the  knife 
should  be  so  held  that  the  elbow  is  well  away  from  the 
carver's  body,  so  that  the  full  sweep  can  be  given  with 
the  blade. 

Another  method,  requiring  both  hands,  is  to  hold 
the  knife  in  the  right  and  press  against  the  back  of  the 
blade  with  the  left  thumb.  It  is  sometimes  a  relief  to 
have  recourse  to  this  plan,  especially  when  cutting 
straight  lines,  and  it  will  be  understood  the  work  must 
be  on  some  support. 

liiese  are  all  typical  methods  of  making  the  cuts; 
but  It  must  not  be  inferred  that  the  knife  may  not  be 
held  in  any  other  way.  Any  in  which  the  carver  finds 
he  can  get  the  most  command  over  the  tool  will  be  the 
right  way,  and  after  a  very  smaH  amount  of  practice 
no  regard  need  be  consciously  paid  to  the  way  in 
which  the  knife  is  held;  it  will  be  held  naturally  in 
the  best  way  to  do  the  work  intended. 

As  with  other  carving  tools,  the  edge  cannot  be  too 
sharp,  so  that  no  amount  of  trouble  should  be  spared 
to  get  it  into  good  condition  and  to  keep  it  so.  The 
carver  should  always  work  with  a  strop  at  hand,  and 
give  the  blade  a  rub  or  two  whenever  its  cutting 
powers  show  the  smalK  t  sign  of  giving  way.  An 
ordinary  razor  strop  does  as  well  as  anything,  and  it 
will  not  be  long  before  the  novice  discerns  the 
increased  comfort  to  himself  and  benefit  to  the  work 
of  keeping  the  knife  well  stropped.  To  save  him 
needless  trouble,  it  may  be  well  to  say  that  nearly  all 
the  cutting  is  done  with  the  i^  inch  or  so  of  edge 
nearest  the  point,  .so  that  the  chief  attention  should  be 
paid  to  this  part.     A  blade  with  a  back  thick  close  up 


,i*¥9' 


'^^.^'''S' 


GRAIN  OF  WOOD  AND  OTHER   MATTERS  83 

to  the  point  is  not  as  easy  to  cut  with  as  one  which  is 
judiciously  tapered. 

With  regard  to  the  handle,  all  we  would  say  about 
it  is  that  though  its  polished  condition  when  new  may 
look  very  nice,  the  polish  is  rather  an  objection  than 
otherwise.  A  firmer  grip  is  got  on  an  unpolished  sur- 
face, and  this  will  be  found  more  noticeable  when  the 
hands  are  moist  with  perspiration.  Mere  good  looks 
in  this  should  give  way  to  utility,  and  if  desired  the 
polish  can  easily  be  removed  by  scraping  or  with 
glasspaper.  The  novice  may  again  he  cautioned  on 
no  account  to  use  glasspaper  on  the  wood  to  smooth 
it  before  carving,  or  till  the  carving  is  finished;  if  he 
does,  it  will  be  found  that  the  blade  gets  dull  "in  no 
time"  from  the  small  grits  which  hav,-  worked  into 
the  wood  from  the  paper. 

This  style  of  carving  is  one  of  the  simplest,  but  is  by 
no  means  of  modern  origin,  as  its  development  may 
be   traced   to   a   source   in    the   barbaric    instinct   for 
decoration  common  to  the  ancient  inhabitants  of  New 
Zeiiland   and   other   South    Sea  Islands.      Techniciliy 
and  with  modern  tools  it  is  a  form  of  the  art  which 
demands  but  little  skill,  save  in  the  matter  of  precision 
and  patient  repetition.      As  practiced   by  its  savage 
masters,  the  perfection  of  these  two  qualities  elevates 
their  work  to  the  dignity  of  a  real  art.     It  is  difficult 
to  conceive  the  contradictory  fact  that  this  appar.-ntly 
simple  form  of  art   was  once  the  expo;ient  of  a  strug- 
gling desire  for  refinement  on   the  part  of  fierce  and 
warlike  men,  and  that  it  should,  under  the  influence  of 
polite  ^  society,     become     the     all-too-easy     task    of 
.X'sthetically  minded  school    girls.      In  the  hands  of 
those  warrior  artists,  and   with   the   tool«  at  their  com- 
mand, mostly  fashioned  from  iharpen  J  fish  bones  and 


PRACTICAL  WOOD  CARVING 


such  like  rude  materials,  it  was  an  art  which  rt-quired 
the  equivalent  of  many  fine  artistic  (inalitit-    as  such 
are  understood  b)  more  cultivated  nations.     The  mar- 
velous dexterity  and  determined   purpose  evinced  in 
the  laborious  decoration  of  canoe  paddk-  ,  ax  handles, 
and  other  weapons,  is,  untlersuch  technical  disabilities 
as  to  tools,    really  very    impressive.     This   bein}»   so, 
there  is  no  inherent  reason  why  such    i   rudimentary 
form   of   the   art   as    "chip"   carving    shf)iild   not   be 
practiced  in  a  way  consistent  with  its  triu-  nature  and 
limitations.     As  its   »kmental  distinctions  are  so  few 
and  its  methods  so  simple,  it  follows  that  in  recognizing 
such  limitations  we  shall  make  the  most  of  our  design. 
Instead,  then,   of  trusting  to  a  forced  variety,  let  us 
seek  for  its  strong  point  it,   ,n  opposite  direction,  and 
by  the  monotonous  repeti  ion  of  basket-like  patterns 
win  the  not-to-be-despised    praise    which    is   due   to 
patience  and  perseverance.     In  this  way  only  can  such 
a  restricted  form  of  artistic  expression  become  in  the 
least  degree  interesting.    The  designs  usually  associated 
with  the  "civilized"  practice  of  this  work  are,  generally 
speaking,  of  the   kind  known   as  "geometric,"  that  is 
to  say,  composed  of  circles  and  stra!t,ht  lines  intersect- 
ing  each    ot!u:r    in    com()licated    pattern.       Now  the 
"variety"  obtained  in  this  manner,  as  contrasted  with 
the  dignified  monotony  of  the  savage's  method,  is  the 
note  which  marks  a  weak  desire  to  attain  great  results 
with  little  effort.     The   "variety"  as  such   is  wholly 
mechanical;   the  technical    difficulties,     with    modern 
tools  at  command,   are  felt  at  a  glance  to  be  very 
trifling;  therefore  such  designs  are  quite  unsuitable  to 
the  kind  of    work,   if  human    sympathies    are  to  be 
excited  in  a  reasonable  way. 
An  important  fact  in  connection  with  this  kinH  of 


GRAIN  OF  WOOD  AND  OTHER   MATTERS  85 

design  15  that  most  of  these  geometric  patterns  are. 
apart  from  their  uncomfortable  "variety,"  based  on 
too  large  a  scale  as  to  detail.  All  the  laborious  carv- 
ing  on  paddles  and  clubs,  such  as  may  be  seen  in  muse- 
ums, is  founded  upon  a  scale  of  detail  in  which  the 
holes  vary  in  size  from  ,V  to  something  under  ^  inch 
their  longest  way,  only  in  special  places,  such  as  bor- 
ders, etc.,  attaining  a  larger  size;  such  variety  as  the 
artist  has  permitted  himself  being  confined  to  the 
occasional  introduction  of  a  subtle  change  in  the  pro- 
portion of  the  holes,  or  an  alternate  emphasis  upon 
perpendicular  or  horizontal  lines. 

As  a  test  of  endurance  and  as  an  experimental  effort 
with  carving  tools,  I  set  you  this  exercise.     Fig.  41 
you  will  find  a  pattern  taken  from  one  of  those  South 
Sea  carvings  which  we  have  been  considering.     Now 
take  one  of  the  articles  so  often  disfigured  with  child- 
ish and  hasty  efforts  to  cover  a  surface  with  so-called 
"art  work,"  such  as  the  side  of  a  bellows  or  the  sur- 
face of  a  bread  plate,  and  on  it  carve  this  pattern, 
repeating  the  same    shaped    holes  until  you  fill   the 
entire  space.     By  the  time  you  have  completed  it  you 
will  begin  to  understand    and  appreciate  one  of  the 
fundamental  qualities    which    must    go    towards    the 
making  of  a  carver— namely,  patience;  and  you  will 
have  produced  a  thing  which  may  give  you  pleasant 
surprises  in  the  unexpected  but  very  natural  admira- 
tion it  elicits  from  your  friends. 

Having  drawn  the  pattern  on  your  wood,  ruling  the 
lines  to  measurement,  and  being  careful  to  keep  your 
lines  thin  and  clear  as  drawn  with  a  somewhat  hard 
pencil,  proceed  to  cut  out  the  holes  with  the  chisel 
No.  II  on  your  list,  %  inch  wide.  It  will  serve  the 
purpose  much  better  than  the  knife  usually  sold  for 


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(ANSI  and  ISO  TEST  CHART  No    2) 


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(716)   482  -  0300  -  Phone 

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.-■m-'w 


86 


PRACTICAL  WOOD  CARVING 


; 


this    kind   of  work,    and    will    be   giving   you    useful 
practice  with  a    very   necessary   carving    tool.      The 


.  El> 


HT 


^•^'^Sl 


GRAIN  OF  WOOD  AND  OTHER  MATTERS  87 


corner  of  the  chisel  will  do  most  of  the  work,  sloping 
it  to  suit  the  different  angles  at  the  bottom  of  the 
holes.  Each  chip  should  come  out  with  a  clean  cut, 
but  to  ensure  this  the  downward  cuts  should  be  done 
first,  forming  the  raised  diagonal  lines. 

When  you  have  successfully  performed  this  piece  of 
discipline,  you  may,  if  you  care  to  do  more  of  the 
same  kind  of  work,  carry  out  a  design  based  upon  the 
principles  we  have  been  discussing  but  introducing  a 
very  moderate  amount  of 
variety  by  using  one  or  more 
of  the  patterns  which  are 
from  the  same  dusky  artists' 
designs  and  cannot  be  im- 
proved upon. 

To  satisfy  the  present  re- 
quirements of  fashion,  how- 
ever, it  is  necessu.y  that  I 
should  show  a  number  of  the 
prevailing  styles  of  carving 
in  this  kind  of  work,  so  I 
offer  as  a  start  a  simple  de- 
sign in  which  the  notches  are  of  a  fair  size  and  so  do  not 
include  too  many  small  curves. 

To  any  one  who  can  use  a  pair  of  compasses  and  a 
rule,  or  has  any  knowledge  of  geometry,  the  difficulty 
of  drawing  the  designs  on  wood  will  be  so  trifling  as 
not  to  be  worth  considering.  As  the  designs  I  offer 
show  the  shading,  and  consequently  the  inner  or 
bottom  angles,  and  not  merely  the  outlines  on  ihe 
s.urface,  it  will  be  well  for  (he  learner  to  know  that  he 
need  draw  only  the  latter;  the  angles  indicated  by  the 
others  form  themselves  naturally  as  the  cuts  are  made. 
Thus  Fig.  42  represents  a  regular  hexagon,  containing 


Fig.  42. 


88 


PRACTICAL  WOOD  CARVING 


two  triangles  and  a  six  corner  star  in  the  center  as  shown 
in  the  design.  The  lines  at  the  bottoms  of  the  shaded 
pockets  or  notches  are  clearly  discernible,  but  need 
not  be  drawn  on  the  wood;  it  is  merely  the  outline  as 
shown  in  Fig.  43.  An  examination  of  Fig.  43  will 
clearly  show  how  the  various  lines  are  set  out,  and, 


Fig.  43. 

supposing  the  design  is  now  transferred  to  the  wood 
with  carbon  paper,  fairly  will  represent  the  drawing 
before  carving  is  commenced. 

In  making  the  cuts  the  precise  angle  at  which  the 
blade  IS  inclined  to  the  wood  is  not  of  much  conse- 
quence, but  It  should  be  as  uniform  as  possible  The 
hand  will  almost  insensibly  become  accustomed  to 
cutting  at  the  same  slope,  or  so  nearly  the  same  that 
the  difference  in  depth  of  the  same  sized  notches  in 
any  piece  of  work  is  not  noticeable.  As  far  as 
possible,  the  cuts  should  be  made  cleanly  and  to  the 
required  depth  at  once.  This,  however,  is  often 
impracticable,  and  it  is  necessary  to  make  more  than 
one  cut  to  get  to  the  bottom.  When  this  has  to  be 
done,  the  utmost  care  should  be  taken  that  the  second 


GRAIN  OF  WOOD  AND  OTHER  MATTERS  89 

and  succeeding  cuts  are  exactly  at  the  same  angle  as 
the  first,  for  if  not  the  notch,  or  rather  that  particular 
side  of  it,  will  show  a  ridge  wherever  the  cut  has  been 
unequal,  instead  of  being  quite  smooth.  The  irregular- 
ity may  be  pared  away  afterwards,  but  to  do  this  is  a 
waste  of  time  and  the  work  seldom  looks  so  clean  as 
if  done  properly  at  first. 
J  Perhaps  the  novice  may  be  inclined  to  think  that  it 
would  be  easier  to  begin  paring  away  a  notch  from  the 
center,  gradually  increasing  the  size  till  the  outline  is 
reached.  At  first  it  may  be  so,  but  facility  will  not  be 
obtained  in  doing  the  work,  and  he  should  begin,  as 
indicated,  boldly  on  the  outline. 

From  the  point  of  the  knife  penetrating  further  than 
it  need  at  the  bottom  of  the  notches,  it  will  often  be 
observed  that  there  is  a  kind  of  slight  burr  turned  up. 
This  may  easily  be  removed  if  the  work  is  small  and 
for  Close  inspection,  otherwise  it  may  be  disregarded. 
The  cuts  themselves  do  not  require  any  attention. 

When  the  carving  has  been  done,  the  work  may  be 
cleaned  off  with  glasspaper  used  in  the  ordinary  way 
over  a  cork  block.  It  must  be  remembered  that  the 
notches  themselves  cannot  be  worked  on  with  the 
paper,  which  only  cleans  up  the  surface  of  the  wood. 
The  dust  will  work  itself  into  the  cuts  referred  to  in 
the  previous  paragraph  so  that  they  will  be  barely 
distinguishable.  To  make  the  work  as  clean  as 
possible  it  should  be  finally  brushed  with  a  stiff  brush, 
and  may  then  be  regarded  as  complete. 

As  to  the  wood,  very  little  need  be  said.  At  first  it 
is  not  advisable  to  use  any  hard  kind,  and  none  is  more 
suitable  than  a  piece  of  good,  sound,  clean  pine;  it  is 
soft  and  cuts  cleanly.  Another  good  kind  to  begin 
with  is  American  vvhitewood,  though  pine  is  on  the 


90 


PRACTICAL  WOOD  CARVING 


ill 


whole  to  be  preferred.  In  the  course  of  time  it 
assumes  a  pleasant,  warm  tone.  It  or  any  other  wood 
may  be  varnished,  for  French  polishing  is  out  of  the 
question;  but  it  is  a  matter  of  opinion  whether  the 
appearance  is  improved,  as  size  causes  the  surface  to 
swell  and  roughen,  and  as  there  is  i,  means  of  rubbing 
them  down  again  it  must  not  be  used.  The  varnish 
must  be  applied  instc  ad  till  it  does  not  sink.  Stains 
are  also  objections'  le  for  the  same  reason  as  size.  If 
any  must  be  used,  let  them  be  mixed  with  spirits  or 


Fig.  44. 


Fig.  45. 


turps  instead  of  water,  though  even  then  the  result  is 
seldom  pleasing,  as  more  is  absorbed  by  the  end  grain 
than  elsewhere,  giving  the  work  a  dirty,  patchy  look. 
A  less  objectionable  way  is  to  treat  it  with  Aspinall's 
or  some  similar  enamel.  Instead  of  painting  all  ovei 
with  one  color,-  the  notches  may  be  picked  out  with 
various  tints,  and  if  these  are  judiciously  chosen  very 
pleasing  effects  may  be  obtained.  In  the  same  way 
bronze  paints  of  different  tints  may  be  used,  though  at 
some  risk  of  the  decoration  tending  rather  to  bar- 
baric splendor  than  to  artistic  taste. 


^^iM.. 


_,Vijj^yp 


T«  HOLS  THE  KNIPC 


GRAIN  OF  WOOD  AND  OTHER   MATTERS  91 

When  sufficient  progress 
has  been  made  to  enable 
it  to  be  worked,  there  is 
no  wood  better  than  oak. 
Though  hard,  it  is  not  un- 
pleasant  to  cut  if   a  nice 
piece  has  been  got     It  is 
not,  however,  suitable  for 
very  small  work,  for  which 
a  fine,  close-grained  wood 
should   be  chosen.     Chip 
carved  oak  looks  remark- 
ably well  when  darkened 
either    by    oiling    or    by 
fumigation,  or  by  a  com- 
bination of  both,  and  then 
wax    polished.      Varnish 
destroys    its    beauty    and 
gives  it  a  coarse,  common- 
place appearance. 

Some  very  fine  effects 
can  be  obtained  by  a  di- 
vision of  the  circle  to  the 
designs  shown  in  Fi^js,  44 
and  45. 

The  various  methods  of 
cutting  these  ornaments 
with  the  knife  shown  in 
;'"'gs.  39  and  40,  are  shown 
in  the  illustrations  given 
in  ViiTt  46,  where  the  knife 
IS  seen  at  work  and  the 
position  of  the  hand  dur- 

;.,_    it.  ,..  HOLD.no  TMI  fAHTIWC  TOOU 

ing  the  cuttmg  process.  pic,  46. 


MAKINQ  THI  riMT  CUT. 


NOW  TO  HOLD  THC  KNIft  rOR  SECOND  CUT 


02 


PRACTICAL  VVUUD  CARVING 


In  using  this  tool,  first  draw  a  few  lines  parallel  with 
the  grain  of  the  wood,  following  exactly  one  of 
these  lines  with  the  parting  tool,  holding  the  tool  in 
the  same  position  and  exerting  an  equal  amount  of 
strength  throughout.  When  you  have  succeeded  in 
cutting  a  line  clean,  straight  and  uniform  in  width, 
draw  several  across  the  grain  in  different  directions. 
The  tool  will  meet  with  more  resistance  when  cutting 
across  the  grain,  but  a  few  trials  will  give  confidence 
and  successful  results.  Curves  should  also  be  practiced 
in  this  manner.  First  large  ones,  afterward  the  arcs 
of  very  small  circles  may  be  attempted.  Never 
"wriggle"  the  tool  in  the  wood. 

Do  not  attempt  to  remove  too  much  wood  at  a  time. 
Cut  clean;  whenever  possible,  with  the  grain.  Never 
break  or  pry  off  any  pieces  of  wood.  Work  slowly 
and  carefully  at  first.  Leave  no  rags,  jags  or  frag- 
ments. Clear  out  completely  every  corner.  Get  your 
work  as  smooth  as  possible  with  whatever  tool  seems 
best  to  use.  Let  every  stroke  of  the  chisel,  gouge  or 
parting  tool  be  made  and  regulated  with  purpose  and 
design. 

The  use  of  sandpaper  is  not  recommended  as  the 
best  method  of  smoothing  work.  Sharp  tools,  careful 
cutting,  with  the  skill  acquired  from  practice,  will 
soon  render  other  aids  unnecessary. 

The  wood  to  be  carved  must  be  smooth,  close- 
grained,  firm,  but  not  hard;  well  seasoned,  not  kiln 
dried.  Much  practice  renders  the  carver  indifferent 
to  the  hardness  of  the  wood.  But  the  amateur  is 
easily  discouraged  by  wood  that  requires  great  strength 
to  cut,  when  a  skillful  use  of  the  mallet  has  not  been 
acquired. 
An  ideal  wood  on  which  to  chip  carve  is  sweet  gum, 


«S!fe<-'^i 


Trn'-m^ 


GRAIN  OF  WOOD  AND   OTHER   MATTERS  93 

containing  no  streaks  of  wliite.  Gum  wood  is  beauti- 
ful in  grain,  light  brown  in  color.  The  path  of  the 
tool  through  it  is  smooth  and  glossy.  This  wood  must 
be  properly  secured  against  warping  when  used  in 
cabinet  work. 

Sycamore  is  of  a  delicate  cream  tint,  flecked  with 
brown.  It  has  the  same  advantages  as  gum  wood, 
but  must  also  be  secured  against  warping.  Black 
walnut  is  dark  brown  in  color,  taking  a  beautiful  finish. 
Oak  is  very  hard,  and  should  only  be  used  after  the 
beginner  has  had    some  practice  upon  other,  woods. 


Fig.  47 

Whit  maple  is  very  even  in  grain,  almost  as  white  as 
holly  and  as  hard  as  oak.  Poplar,  pine,  whitewood  are 
easy  to  work  and  take  stain  quite  readily,  and  may  be 
used  for  small  articles,  but  for  large  pieces  or  for 
furniture  woods  less  easily  scratched  should  be  used. 
I  show  herewith  a  number  of  designs  the  learner  may 
try  his  hand  upon,  as  they  offer  no  particular  difficulty 
either  of  design  or  construction,  being  of  the  simplest 
sort.  In  the  ornament  shown  in  Fig.  47  the  whole 
scheme  is  a  semicircle,  with  a  series  of  radial  grooves 
on  its  outer  rim.     The  lines  forming  the  boundary  are 


-c^■:^Jfe^■ 


Lime  'iP.  «.if&/i?*'.  '-"WPv.' 


■■ 


94 


PRACTICAL  WOOD  CARVING 


simply  Incised  work,  cut  in  the  wood  V-shaped,  as  are 
also  the  radial  lines  and  the  inside  boundary  lines, 
hence  the  fi},'ure  so  far  is  made  ul  simple  V  lines  chased 
in  the  wo6d  with  the  V  tool  only.  The  lozenge-sha[)(cl 
ornaments  are  marked  off  and  left  flush,  and  the 
crescents  are  then  worked  to  them,  the  center  lines 
as  mark«.-d  being  left  as  a  hollow  ridge  sunk  below  the 
surface. 

Another  piece  of  chip  carving   is  shown  "n  Fig.  4S. 
In  this  case  lines  shov  the  raised  ridge,  while  others 


Fio.  48. 

show  hollow  or  sunk  ridges.  There  is  a  depression  on 
the  ends  of  the  wings  as  deep  as  the  sunken  ridge. 
The  boundary  lines  show  a  raised  portion  of  the  work. 
This  is  an  extremely  simple  pattern. 

Fig.  49  shows  a  circular  ornament  complete,  made 
on  the  same  lines  as  Fig.  48,  only  more  of  it.  The 
two  triangles  are  left  flush,  as  shown,  and  are  pebbled 
with  a  punch  made  for  the  purpose. 

Fig.  50  shows  a  corner  of  a  picture  frame  or  a  border 
for  a  glove  box  or    lady's  workbox;  it  is  worked  on 


'^<ti^' 


'^-'^'^mmM^m^ 


GRAIN  OF  WOOD  AND  OTHER  MATTERS  95 

the  same  lines  as  Fig.  49,  with  the  exception  of  the 
pebbled  or  padded  work,  which  is  easily  wrought  and 
as  easily  laid  out. 
These  exarnpl*  i  ace  presented,  not  because?  they  are 


Fig.  49. 

considered  gc  d  carving  or  work  that  will  likely  be 
called  for,  but  becai-se  they  make  good  examples  for 
practice,  and  if  spo.led  do  not  mean  much,  but  in 
working  them  the  operator  will  soon  find  the  "use  of 
his  hands,"  or,  in  other  words,  he  will  become  accus- 


96 


PRACTICAL  WOOD  CARVING 


Chip  carving  offers  an  abundance  of  o 


Pport unities  to 


a  V 


^-aluc  of  their  own  far  above 
n,  1  ^^^^  value  commerce  would  tn'vH 

hem.  such  as  cuff  boxes  and  collar  boxes  for  hims'   f 
a  glove  and   trinket  box   for  his  mofh.r   u         ■?    !.' 


Fi<;.  51. 

P Jod  turn  and  gettinn-  Drirfir,>  -,r.^ 

sv-iiiiij,   jjraciice  and  exnerienrp  Jn  tu.^ 

manaRcmentof  his  tools  and  the  me.hod'  of  "ork      A 
cont,nua.,o„of  these  examples  will  be  proceeded  with 


jr.T.^(%^r^ 


GRAIN  01-  WOOD  AND  OTHER   MATTKRS  „; 

The  ornamentation  shown  .a  Im^j.  51  is  a  little  more 
complex  than  previous  examples,  but  I  do  not  think  the 
workn  m  will  find  it  difficult  to  form  or  to  .xecttc,  as 


tlie  pattern  is  chiefly  composed 
of  parts  of  circles  and  straight 
lines.  I  would  advise  the  beginner  not  to  attempt 
making  his  work  too  deep  until  he  becomes  well 
accustomed    to   the    patterns    and    has    r    good    com- 


FiG.  53. 

mand  of  his  tools.  A  low  relief  or  a  shallow  pattern  is 
much  easier  to  work  and  does  not  require  so  much 
labor  to  execute;  thouLjh,  of  course,  it  is  not  as  effect- 
ive .!■  would  be  a  pattern  work' J   in  deeper;  never- 


•'s^r'^fir^^^a 


y 


98 


PRACTICAL  WOOD  CARVING 


V^ 

7^^ 

>N^ 

^ 

i^ 

vW-ji^ 

^j^^^^^^^ 

VV  >< 

V 

5^^C/ 

^NJ//' 

4 

^^^^ 

&^ 

^^ 

theless,  work  of  this  kind  when  well  done  has  a  very 
pleasing  effect.  Another  example  of  this  kind  and  I 
am  done,  as  I  think  there  r/ill  be  sufficient  to  enable 

the  young  work- 
man to  both  exr 
ecute  this  work 
and  form  his 
own  designs. 
Fig.  52  exhibits 
a  couple  of  de- 
signs suited  for 
Fig.  54.  bordersof 

boxes,  sides  of 
tables,  tabourets  and  similar  pieces  of  furniture.  In 
almost  all  of  the  examples  shown  the  cuts  forming  the 
ornaments  are  beveled  from  the  surface  down  to  the 
bottom  of  the  work,  so  that  the  bottom  lines  are  formed 
by  the  two 
sides  or 
slopes  mak- 
ing a  junc- 
tion at  the 
lowest  point 
of  the  work 
where  the 
two  sides 
meet.  This 
is  a  peculiar 
characteris- 
tic of  chip 
carving. 

The  border  shown  in  Fig.  53  looks  complicated,  but 
is  really  very  simple  both  to  lay  out  and  to  make,  and 
when  finished  is  quite  striking. 


Fig.  55. 


':k    ; 


GRAIN  OF  WOOD  AND  OTHER  MATTERS  99 

The  two  examples  shown  in  Fig.  54  may  be  used  for 
corners  of  box  lids  or  other  similar  work  with  good 
results;  the  same  maybe  said  in  regard  to  the  three- 
sided  ornament  shown  in  Fig.  55, 
which  is  well  adapted  for  corners 
of  any  kind.  The  circular,  orna- 
ment shown  in  Fig.  56  is  sug- 
gestive and  can  be  made  to  suit 
many  situations. 

The  series  of  designs  shown  in 
F'gs.  57,  58,  5Q,  60,  61,  62  and  63 
may  be  found  useful  for  many 
purposes,  and  they  offer  sugges- 
tions to  the  designer  for  other  designs  of  a  similar  kind. 
The  borders  61,  62  and  63  will  be  made  available  for 
the  edges  of  lids,  tabouret  tops  and  like  work. 

In  Fig.  64  I  show  eight  simple  examples  of  borders, 
all  in  chip  carving,  that  can  be  made  to  do  service  in 
many  situations.  These  borders  are  of  a  kind  that 
aie  easily  made  and  when  made  can  readily  be  adapted 
to  a  thousand  and  one  purposes  which  are  not 
necessary  to  mention  here. 

With  the  six  examples  of  finished  work  shown  in 
Fig.  65  I  will  close  the  chapter  on   "Chip  Carving," 


Fig.  56. 


Fig.  57. 

but  before  doing  so  I  must  apologize  to  all  my  readers 
for  the  length  of  time  I  have  devoted  to  this  subject, 
as  I  am  aware  that  most  expert  carvers  look  with  con- 
tempt on  this  branch  of  the  art.     My  excuse,  however, 


100  PRACTICAL  WOOD  CARVING 

for  toying  with  this  particular  branch  of  the  art  so 
long  is,  that  this  book  is  intended  more  for  young 
beginners  than  for  the  finished  artist,  and  to  these 
young  people  chip  carving  has  a  sort  of  fascination, 
because  of  its  simplicity,  that  the  more  intricate  work 


does  not  possess,  and  offers  an  inducement  to  thein  to 
become  carvers,  an  event  that  would  not  happen  if 
the  more  difficult  branch  was  the  onlv  one  thev  could 
commence  with. 

Of  the  six  examples  shown  in  Fig.  65,  two  of  them 
are  circular,     These  should   be  roughed  out  in  a  lathe 


GRAIN  OF  WOOD  AND  OTHER  MATTERS  loi 

and  the  renter  cut  out   to  receive  a  porcelain  plate  or 
other  china  ornament.     The  jewel  box  may  be  obtained 


Fig.  59. 


all  ready  to  carve  from   any  wood  turner.      The  plate 
frame  is  really  a  picture  .frame,  the  wooden  rim  being 


Fig.  60. 


102 


PRACTICAL  WOOD  CARVING 


turned  with  the  center  cut  out  to  receive  a  valuable 
plate  or  other  china;  the  frame  is  then  carved  in  any 
design  determined  upon. 


■I 


Fig.  6i. 


Fig.  62. 


With  this  we  leave   this  branch  and  start  operations 
on  another  and  a  similar  oiie,  namely,  "Flat  Carving." 


CH/.PTER   IV 

FLAT   CARVING 

This  Style  of  carving  is  something  similar  to  chip 
carving  the  only  difference  being  that  in  flat  carving 
leaves  fruit,  foliaj-e  and  other  objects,  to  which  mav  be 
added  lace  or  strap  work  in  Celti.-  style,  are  introduced. 

This  mode  of  carving  is  very  .  ,ch  in  vogue  among 
the  Turks,  the  Persians  and  Afghans. 


Fig.  6:1. 


An  example  of  Turl-ish  work  in  this  style  is  shown 
'"  t-.g.  66.  This  IS  supposed  to  be  the  top  of  a 
tabouret.  The  work  is  laid  out  i„  a  similar  manner  to 
c^iipcarvmg.  the  dark  lines  all  being  one  uidth  and 
ine  light  portions  being  removed. 

In  this  kind  of  work  care  must  be  taken  not  to  have 
one  portion   of  the  work  deeper  than  another,  as  the 

103 


104  PRACTICAL  WOOD  CARVING 


'■0^/<^  ""''5- '. 'v^    '.  ^Sr^-^ ^  ■  ■    *• 


-'Six-v-^c^r^i.  ^^-/-l 


Fig.  64. 


"m^fM^Rym^w^\:'^ 


FLAT  CARVING 
eye  will  detect  any  inequality  in   tiie  surface  h 


th 


e  raised  ornaments.     When  finished,  th 


105 
eneath 


look  as  thoiitrh  it  had  ^^rown  th 


e  wcrk  should 


ere. 


io6 


PRACTICAL  WOOD  CARVING 


A  good  pattern  to  practice  on  is  shown  in  Fig.  67, 
which  may  all  be  clone  with  the  V  tool  and  the  narrow 
chisel.  In  laying  this  out  gn  the  wood  the  lines  should 
be   formed   with  a  good    black    pencil   to  the  width 


Fig.  66. 

required.  Then  cut  away  all  the  black  lines,  the  thin 
lines  being  taken  out  with  the  V  tool  and  the  thicker 
ones  either  with  a  gou.L,rc  or  narrow  chisel. 

Under  this  head,  "flat  carving"  with    .  background 
maybe  considered,  as  the  difference  only  consists  in 


■WW 


FLAT  CARVING 


107 


the  fact  that  the  groundwork  is  pebbled,  padded  or 
stamped. 

The  three  examples  shown  in  I'igs.  68,  69  and  70 
exhibit  designs  with  simple  scratched  backgrounds. 
This  scratching  is  done  with  a  tool  which  has  a  dia- 
mond point,  and  which, 
when  used,  is  "drawn"  to- 
w  a  r  d  s  the  workman — 
never  pushed. 

These  examples  will 
give  the  young  learner  an 
opportunity  to  learn  to  use 
the  left  as  well  as  the  right 
hand,  an  acquirement  that 
must  be  obtained  before 
the  operator  can  become 
an  expert  carver.  The  ac- 
complishment is  not  diffi- 
cult, and  should  be  ac- 
quired after  a  month  or  so 
of  practice.  People  who 
are  left-handed,  when  be- 
ginning to  carve,  ex- 
perience no  difificulty 
whatever  when  learning 
the  art  in  making  use  of 
the  right  hand. 

The  two  corner  ornaments  shown  in  Figs.  71  and  72 
are  very  simple  in  outline  and  have  punched  back- 
';rounds.  They  may  be  formed  of  thin  pieces  oT  wood 
and  nailed  or  screwed  in  position  where  wanted.  If 
screwed  in  place  the  heads  of  the  screws  should  be 
plated  or  oxidized  lo  harnioni/e  with  the  color  of 
fhe  wood  employed. 


.-^■^■^^■M^^^^^^^^^^^^-^^^-"*^* 
^ 


Fig.  67. 


io8  PRACTICAL  WOOD  CARVING 

The  border  Fijj.  73  is  a  very  jjood  example  and  one 
that  the  learner  can  easily  follow,  as  the  curves,  with 
the  exception  of  the  little  lu-aih,  are  of  {,'ood  sized 
sweeps  and  can  be  easily  wrought.     The  bottom  or 


Fig.  68, 


background  is  padded  with  a  small  irregular-shaped 
punch,  and  the  work  is  made  as  irregular  as  can  be, 
but  care  should  be  taken  not  to  have  the  punchings  in 
too  close  clusters;  they  should  spread  over  the  grounds 
pretty  evenly,  ho  far  as  markings  are  concerned.     This 


-jgy  -'yaT.':T^:fSSP(?^^-J»IK 


A' 


■<■:'•.'••  : 


■Ir.'^^.^-'  Vi 


FL.vT  CARVING 


109 


applies  to  all  sorts  of  pacUlinj^  on  backgrounds,  unless 
ornamented  punches  are  used. 

A  simple  leaf  design  is  shown  in  Fig.  74,  which  may 
all  be  executed  in  the  flat  with  the  exception  of  the 
groove  in  the  center 
of  the  leaf,  which 
should  be  veined  with 
the  V  tool.  The  pa<l- 
ding  on  the  ground  is 
somewhat  d  i  ff  e  r  e  n  t 
from  that  on  some  of 
the  previous  examples, 
as  the  closer  punchings 
near  the  base  of  the 
leaves  answer  as  a 
shading  and  tend  to 
bring  out  the  design  in 
greater  apparent  relief. 

The  design  shown  in 
l''lf-  75  's  a  little  more 
pretentious  than  most 
of  those  shown  in  this 
chapter,  and  is  de- 
signed for  a  center- 
piece suited  to  box 
liub,  drawer  fronts, 
tabourets,  or  any  sim- 
ilar work.  While  being 
quite  effective  in  its 
own  peculiar  way,  it 
will  not  be  found  diffi- 
cult to  execute.  The  padding  of  the  background  may 
be  as  shown,  or  ornamented  punches  may  be  used  for 
the  work,  according  to  the  taste  of  the  worker. 


Fig.  69. 


no  PRACTICAL  WOOL    JARVING 


'^.-M^MT^^IS^ 


FLAT  CARVING 


III 


The  initial  letter  shown  in  Fij;.  76  is  somewhat  more 
elaborate  than  the  pri-cedinj,'  examples,  more  par- 
ticularly in  the  paddinj,',  where  several  kinds  of  punches 
have  been  used.  This  trick  is  often  resorted  to  in 
fancy  flat  carvinff,  and  if  the  work  is  executed  in  oak, 
walnut,  teak  or 
other  -lark  wood 
and  then  simply 
oiled  over  with 
raw  linseed  oil 
it  is  very  effec- 
tive    and    rich 

This  is  a  fine  exam 
if  made    about    t\ 

si/e  as  shown  here 

edges  of   the  raised 

veined  as    shown,    it 

comes  a  refined  piece  o 

assuredly  be  admired. 
I  have  before   show 

tions  for   punches    and    described    the 

manner  of  making  them,  but  in  or(' 

to  give  the  student  the  widest  range  possible  within  the 


Fig.  72. 


i^OT 


112 


PRACTICAL  WOOD  CARVING 


A./.'  ••  »• 


K'i  i<-z^\^  '.>\ '.•,:,':...:. 


Fig.  73. 


••.?•:■ 


^.••••..•.:n" 


J^i'ir-'^l. 


Fig.  74. 


FLAT  CARVING 


"3 


limits  assigned  to  this  book  I  illustrate  another  series 
of  punches  or  stamps,  most  of  which  the  learner  may 
be  able  to  make  himself.  These  are  shown  in  Fig.  "jf, 
where  twelve   different  shapes  are  illustrated. 

Perhaps  a   few  words    regarding   the    use    of   these 


Fit;.    75. 

stamps  may  not  he  out  of  place  at  this  juncture.  It 
should  be  horne  in  mind  that  results  from  the  use  of 
these  stamps  are  always  better  in  hard  wood  than  in  soft 
wood,  owing  to  peculiarities  of  the  grain.  The  pounil- 
ing  of  the  stamp  should  always  be  even.  If  hit  hard 
Ml  some  places  and  gentle   in  others,  the  stamping  or 


114 


PRACTICAL  WOOD  CARVING 


Fic.   76. 


padclinj,'  will   show  uneven  on  the  background,  moic 
particularly  in  the  softer  woods.     A  regular  and  even 

tap  on  the  end  of  tlie  pum.  Ii 

^^     or  stamp  can  be  given  readily 

▼      after  a  little  practice.      Hard 

wood  requires  a  heavier  blow 


© 


J'^OE 


o 


V^ ^  >/  ^^  ^  ,„,t  ^^.^^^^,^  .^,^^,  j,^j^  ^^^^^  ^, 


Fig. 


//• 


to  make  an  impression  than 

•0( 

be  considered.      It 


v\-a)-: 


IS  a 


FLAT  CARVING  115 

good  plan  to  try  one's  hand  on  a  piece  of  wood  of  the 
sort  we  are  workin},r  before  commencing  to  pad  the 
groundwork  of  the  carving,  and  then  the  right  depth  of 
impression  may  he  regulated  by  the  quality  of  the  tap 
given  the  punch. 

Before  1  e  a  v  i  n  g 
this  subject  I  deem 
it  necessary  to  sub- 
mit a  few  elaborate 
designs  in  this  style 
of  carving  which  are 
taken  from  existing 
examples.      I  show 
these  in  Figs.  78,  79 
and     80,     and,     al- 
though   all    classed 
under  the  style  Ja- 
cobean,   the    exam- 
ples represent  three 
distinct    species    of 
decoration  and  may 
therefore     be    con- 
sidered   separately. 
Fig.    78    is  in    real- 
ity four  panels  em- 
bodied   in    one    de- 
sign,   i.e.,    if    each 


Fig.  7S. 


quarter  is  taken  separately  and  repeated  it  will  make  a 
distinct  panel.  Whilst  thus  differing  in  minoi  points, 
the  designer  intended  that  these  panels  should  he  used 
together  in  the  same  article.  This  element  in  the 
design  brings  out  an  important  feature  in  ancient  as 
well  as  modern  Jacobean,  viz.,  general  uniformity  and 
balance  of  parts,  combined  with  pleasinj  variety  of 


ii6 


PR.^CTICAL  WOOD  CARVING 


■ 


detail.  It  would  have  been  easier  for  the  designer  to 
have  struck  off  one  portion  and  to  have  written  on  the 
corner,  "Repeat  four  times,"  but  such  a  multiplication 
would   not  do  for  tlie  author  of  these  sketches.      In 

Fi^'.  JS  we,  more- 
over, find  a  l  in- 
ventional  treat- 
m  e  n  t  of  plant 
forms  v.'hich  has 
been  so  much  cul- 
tivated since  our 
artist  set  the  fash- 
ion, an  element 
which  is  the  dis- 
tinguishing char- 
acteristic of  mod- 
e  r  n  Ja  c  o  b  e  a  n 
car;  Ing.  It  will 
be  seen  that  the 
four  ideas  em- 
bodied in  this  one 
panel  are  equally 
suitable  for  a  per- 
pendicular or  hor- 
i/OMtal  p(Jsition. 
In  Fig.  79  we  get 
a  more  ancient 
sijccimcn  of  carving  in  the  same  style.  It  is  a  little 
study  that  servi's  to  mark  the  connecting  link  between 
the  Elizabethan  and  the  later  pluses  of  English 
Renaissance.  The  inlluence  of  "strap  work"  originals 
is  most  evident  in  h'ig.  79,  anfl  the  design  should  be 
useful  as  showing  how  essentially  decorative  such  a 
"motif"    is  when  properly  handled.      The  handsome 


Fi( 


FLAT  CARVING 


117 


entablature  set  forth  in  FIlt. 
So    marks    the    period    when 
Jacobean   was   rich    in   char- 
acteristic detail.      In  the  cen- 
ter panel,  with  its  Tudor  rose 
and  surroundinj,r  strap  work, 
we   arc    reminded   of    Eliza- 
beth   n,    while    the    ground- 
work   from   which    it  stands 
out  is  more  Jacobean  in  treat- 
ment.    The  presence  of  those 
ever    recurring    enriched 
bosses  or  pateras,  the  scroll 
corner   and  egg  and  tongue 
margin,  all  denote  the  source 
of  the  design.     In  these  ex- 
amples  the   sections  will   be 
found    sufficiently    indicated 
to  guide  the  carver  in  niakiu"- 
a  full-sized  working  drawing 
from    them    to    the    desired 
proportions.     Of    late    wars 
carving  in  relief  has  not  been 
so  much  cultivated  as  it  01     lit 
to  have  been.     To  sa\ 
pense   the    decorative  it 

of  Jacobean  has  been  omitted, 
and  what  was  left  of  oh! 
lines  has  been  badly  madcuip 
and  often  dubbed  "Early 
English."  In  my  opinioi, 
the  production  of  Jacobean 
or  Stuart  work  worthy  of 
such     names    is     impossible 


Ii8 


PRACTICAL  WOOD  CARVING 


1  I 


without  the  aid  of  the  chisel,  and  we  are  therefore  glad 
t"  '  •  able  to  place  before  our  readers  these  carefully 
c\       ted   designs,    showing   the   correct  thing  to  cut 


Fig.   Si. 

when  they  are  called   upon   to   enrich   work   produced 
uiultn-  such  nomenclature. 

It  will  be  noticed  that  there  is  much  "flat"  or  sur- 
face carvin.i,^  in  these  examples,  and  thev  may  be  easily 
traced.     Fi-.  ;.S  cff.Ts  a  fine  example   for  the   learner 


FLAT  CARVING 


119 


to  practice  on.  The  liti.s  are  easily  followed  and 
little  "roundin},'  off"  is  reciuired. 

I  give  three  more  examples  of  surface  carving  in 
Fig.  81.  These  are  Arabian  carved  panels,  and  are 
very  fine.  They  are  shown  here  rather  as  e.xamples 
of  what  can  be  done,  than  to  be  followed. 

We  now  close  this  chapter  and  will  take  up  carving 
proper  in  the  next. 


I 


CHAPTER  V 

ROUNDED    FORMS    OR    CARVING    PROPER 

It  will  now  be  in  order  to  take  up  work  that  is  more 
difficult  and  more  artistic  than  any  we  have  yet  dealt 
with,  namely,  rounded  work  and  foliage. 

Contour  or  rounding  and  modeling,  of  course   cor- 
respond  to  light  and  shade,  but  plain  gouge  and  cavo- 
cuttmg  IS  simple  sketching.     Any  animal,  or  a  human 
figure,  a  vase,  flowers  or  vines  may  be  thus  carved, 
the  only  further  condition  being  that  the  outlines  shall 
be  broad  and   bold.     Great  care  should  be   exercised 
not  to  make  too  many  lines,  especially  fine  ones,  and 
m  all  cases  to  avoid  detail   and  make  the  design  as 
simple  as  you  can.     When  in  thus  outlining  an  animal 
you  have  clearly  indicated,  with  as  few  lines  as  pos- 
sible, what  it  is  meant  to  be.  you  have  done  enough,  as 
in   all   sketching  the  golden   rule  is  to  give  as   much 
representation  with  as  little  work  as  possible  (Fig.  82) 
It  may   be   observed    that    familiar    and    extensive 
practice  of  the  very  easy  gouge  groove  work  and  of 
simple  flat  or  cavo-cutting  in  hollows,  if  carried  out  on 
a  large  scale,  as  for  instance  in  wall  and  door  patterns 
gives  the  pupil  far  more  energy  and  confidence  and  is 
more  conducive  to  free-hand  carving  and  the  sweep 
cut  than  the  usual   method  of  devoting  much  time  in 
the  beginning  to  chipping  elaborate  leaves  and  other 
small  work.     Therefore  it  will  be  well  for  the  pupil  to 
perfect  himself  in  such  simple  groove  and  hollow  work 
This  was   the  first  step    in    mediaeval  carving,   and   it 

120 


ROUNDED   FORMS  OR  CARVING   PROPER  121 

was  the  proper  one  for  general  decoration.  It  was  in 
this  manner  that  the  old  carvers  of  England  and  their 
masters,  the  Flemings,  taught  their  pupils. 

Compared  with  plant  forms,  examples  of  which  we 
will  illustrate  later  on,  the  elements  drawn  from  the 
animal  kingdom  are  few  in  number;  his  is  very 
probably  due  to  the  greater  difficulty  experienced  in 
adapting  these  forms    for   decorative  purposes;    it   is 


Fig.  82. 

certainly  not  advisable  to  introduce  the  animal  form 
too  frequently.  With  some  nations,  too,  religious 
difficulties  stood  in  the  way— the  Mohammedan 
religion  forbidding  the  representation  of  any  living 
beings;  and  further,  the  restriction  was  applied  to 
vegetable  forms,  too,  and  this  has  resulted  in  the  art 
of  the  Mohammedan  being  based  almost  entirely  upon 
genmetrical  principles. 
It  will  be  found  that  the  same  rules  v>hich  guided  the 


;i     * 


122  PRACTICAL  WOOD  CARVING 

selection   of   plant    forms    apply  to  the   selection    of 
animal  forms,  viz.,  (i)  the  ornamental   possibilities  of 


Fig.  83. 

the  form,  and  (2)  the  symbolic  nature  of  the  fo  ms. 
These  decided  what  particular  members  of  either  king- 
dom should  be  used  in  decorative  schemes  principally. 


dwr 


ROUNDKD  FORMS  OR  CARVING  PROPER  123 

Those  animal  forms  most  used  in  historic  ornament 
arc  the    lion,    tif,'cr    and    |)anlher    amongst   the    wild 
animals,  and  the  horse,  ox,  doj,'  and  ^joat  amongst  the 
domesticated  animals.  The  dolphin  (Fig.  83)  is  the  only 
generally  used   representative  of  ocean  life;  but  it  has 
been  very  largely  used,  partly  because  of  its  ornamental 
possibilities  and  partly   because  of   its   symbolic    sig- 
nificance.     Amongst    birds    the    only   form   that   has 
largely  entered   into  decorative  design   has   been   the 
eagle.     Olher  birds   have  bct-n  employeil,  but  mostly 
in  an   auxiliary  manner,  chielly  naturalistic,  as  in   the 
enriching  of  scroll  ornament,  in  which   birds,  reptiles, 
insects,  as  well  as  built-up  artificial  forms,  cherubs  and 
similar  elements,  were  used;  but  no  other  bird  appears 
to  have  been   used  as  a  principal  ornament  typical  of 
any  artistic  principle  so  much  as  the  eagle. 

Amongst  animal  forms  we  may  class  those  mythical 
animals  which  are  known  as  dragons  and  griflfms  (Fig. 
84).  Separate  parts  of  animals,  such  as  heads  and  wings, 
are  used  as  independent  elements.  Lions'  heads  and 
the  wings  of  doves,  ducks,  geese,  as  well  as  bats,  are 
used  in  this  connection.  Wings  are  attached  to 
mythical  animal  forms  such  as  the  dragon,  also  to 
angels  and  to  imps.  In  providing  angels  and  cherubs 
with  wings,  it  may  be  n-marked  that  doves'  and 
pigeons'  wings  are  most  generally  used;  they  are  often 
conventionalized  and  extended,  but  this  particular 
I'-rni  of  wing  provided  the  general  idea,  whilst  a  bat's 
\viiig  forms  the  hiisis  for  the  use  of  wings  for  Satanic 
purpos's. 

Other  forms— such  as  that  of  the  serpent,  because, 
principally,  of  its  symbolic  meaning  and  use,  and  the 
shell,  because  of  its  ornamental  possibilities-  have 
been  largely  used  at  different  times.     The  lamb  was 


134  PRACTICAL  WOOD  CARVING 


I 


'1  * 


>i  ^i 


Fig.  84. 


ROUNDED   FORMS  OR  CARVING   PROPER  125 

somctim«»  used    in  Christian  ornamcnl,  generally  in 
conjunction  with  the  cross. 

Grotesque  heads  ..t  animals  were  used  very  largely 
in  buildings  of  the  Gothic  period,  in  addition  to 
^'rotes(jue  human  heads. 

Ilutnan  Ft^nms.— The  representation  of  the  human 
form  has,  since  man  became  sufficiently  developed  to 
accurately  portray  it,  been  a  favorite  element  of 
decoration.  It  h  •  been  used  in  a  very  larj^'e  measure 
as  symbolical  «  seasons,  hours  and  elements,  as 
virtues  and  vices,  good  and  evil,  stren{,'th  and  jjrace, 
and  many  other  attributes  anil  (lualities.  both  real  and 
abstract.  The  j,'ods  have  always  been  represented  as 
"tilorified  men."  and  anj,'els  and  devils  have  partaken 
of  man's  physical  form. 

The  human  form,  too,  has  been  represented  very 
often  solely  on  account  of  its  decorative  value:  as 
beinjr  the  hi),'hcst  possible  expression  of  art  and 
beauty. 

iiiere  are  some  fine  e.xamplcs  in  existence  in  Europe 
and  this  country  of  chests  and  cabinets  decorated  with 
human  figures  principally  in  full  relief;  that  is.  the 
figures  are  complete  in  themselves. 

This  full  use  of  the  actual  human  figure  is  not,  how- 
ever, so  common  as  the  use  of  the  conventionalized 
figure;  generally,  this  takes  the  shape  of  portions  of 
it,  being  used  either  separately  or  in  conjunction  with 
other  arbitrary  and  conventionalized  forms,  such  as 
occur  in  their  use  in  satyrs,  centaurs,  Neptunes, 
mermaids  and  sphinxes,  or  as  grotesque  masks,  the 
Medusa  head,  cherub  heads,  and  cherubs  and  cupids, 
and  it  is  sometimes  used  to  represent  Death,  as  in  the 
skull  and  crossbones. 
The  use  of  the  mask  appears  to  have  originated  in 


-mz^^ESL^^j 


126 


PRACTICAL  WOOD  CARVING 


,  ^1 


■^'"i 


'  V)  J 


|i  i 


Greece,  and  to  have  been  transferred  for  use  in  the 
theaters.  As  they  were  used  in  this  connection  to 
represent  certain  characters,  the  use  of  certain  definite 
forms  of  masks  became  attached  to  certain  definite 
characters,  and  gradually  they  became  elements  of 
decoration  and  were  used  to  represent  certain  artistic 
principles.  They  were  extensively  used  in  the 
Renaissance  period,  sometimes  in  conjunction  with 
other  elements,  as  where  the  mask  forms  a  center  from 
which  spring  flowers  and  fruit,  and  as  where  the  mask 
forms  the  terminal  ornament  of  a  scroll  or  stalk. 

The  mask  was  often  employed  in  a  grotesque  form, 
often  being  treated  entirely  as  a  caricature,  leaver 
being  used  as  beard  and  hair,  and  other  elements 
often  being  employed  to  represent  certain  portions  of 
the  face  which  the  mask  represented.  These  grotesque 
masks  were  largely  used  by  the  artists  of  the  Middle 
Ages,  both  Gothic  and  Renaissance. 

Enough  has  been  said  to  indicate  what  the  elements 
of  decoration  are,  and  we  will  now  give  some  of  the 
principles  upon  which  these  elements  are  built  up  into 
designs  suitable  for  wood  carving  purposes. 

Having  got  a  clear  idea  as  to  what  elements  may  be 
used,  we  are  ready  to  build  them  together  to  form 
designs  for  our  work.  We  may  decide  to  use  either 
geometrical  forms,  natural  forms,  artificial  forms, 
animals  or  the  human  figure,  either  separately  or 
combined,  and  the  combination  may  consist  of  any  of 
the  elements  of  decoration.  Whatever  we  decide  to 
use  will  be  built  up  or  put  together  10  form  the  design 
according  to  the  following  principles: 

1.  Even  distribution. 

2.  Order. 

3.  Balance. 


■^S"^''- 


ROUNDED  FORMS  OR  CARVING  PROPER  127 

4.  Proportion. 

5.  Repetition. 

6.  Alt<--  ition. 

7.  '  ;,  ■nmel!  y. 

8.  K.T^I  aliori. 

9.  Ninety. 

10.  Contrast. 

11.  Fitness. 

12.  Repose. 

These  are  the  main  principles  that  govern  the  elabo- 
ration of  design.  It  should  also  be  noted  that  ornament 
should  always  be  employed  in  such  a  manner  as  to 
emphasize  the  member  it  is  used  to  decorate;  it  should 
never  hide  or  destroy  its  outline  and  shape. 

It  should  also  be  used  with  a  definite  regard  for  the 
outlines  of  the  member;  that  is,  the  boundary  or 
margin  lines  should  contain  the  whole  of  the  design. 
There  are  exceptions  to  this  rule  which  will  be  taken 
into  account  at  a  later  period,  but  it  is  as  well  to  work 
from  this  rule  at  the  first  until  sufficient  progress  has 
been  made  to  warrant  a  departure  from  it. 

Even  Distribution. — This  means  that  whatever  space 
we  have  at  our  disposal  should  be  filled  by  the  elements 
we  are  using,  duly  observing  a  certain  balance 
between  the  elements  and  the  groundwork.  Fig.  85 
gives  illustrations  showing  good  and  bad  methods  of 
distribution.  In  the  sketch  marked  A  it  will  be 
noticed  that  a  balance  e.xists  between  the  groundwork 
and  the  design;  there  is  not  a  big  amount  of  space 
followed  by  a  close  gathering  or  congregation  of 
elements.  Notice,  too,  that  the  corners  of  the  rectangle 
are  well  and  evenly  filled.  Sometimes  it  occurs  that  a 
design  is  made  for  a  rectangular  shape  that  would 
better  fill   a  shape  having  a    domed  top  margin,   as 


I 


128 


PRACTICAL  WOOD  CARVING 


shown  in  the  sketch  marked  B  by  the  dotted  lines.  It 
can  without  difficult)'  be  seen  where  the  uneven  dis- 
tribution lies.  The  spaces  marked  X  require  filling: 
but  it  should  be  remarked  that  judgment  has  to  be 
exercised  in  the  filling;  any  element  stuck  in  only  for 
the  express  purpose  of  filling  up  the  space  will  not  do. 
It  should  be  taken  as  a  primary  rule  that  all  parts  of 
a  design  should  be  absolutely  necessary  in  its  building 
up;  all  elements  made  use  of  should  each  fulfill  a  pur- 


FlG.    85. 

pose,  having  a  definite  reason  for  its  use  with  regard 
to  the  artistic  necessities  of  the  whole  design,  and  not 
merely  because  of  its  being  required  to  "fill  up."  And 
further,  in  a  complete  and  well  thought  out  design 
any  element  which  may  be  taken  away  would  mar  the 
construction  and  effect  of  the  design.  A  design 
should  be  so  well  constructed  that  no  portion  can  be 
taken  away  without  impoverishing  its  general  con- 
ception and  completeness. 

It  is  possible  to  fill  up  any  unnecessary  open  spaces 


^h. 


.?^SF^M^-m: 


ROUNDED  FORMS  OR  CARVING  PROPER  ug 

With  elements  that  do  not  suggest  that  such  was  the 
intentional  object  in  so  using  them,  because  the  design 
may  have,  in  its  original  conception,  been  deficient  in 
just  these  elements  and  at  just  that  particular  point, 
so  that  their  addition  does  not  mar  but  actually  com- 
pletes the  design.  This  does  not  often  occur,  however, 
and  when  it  does  the  student  may  consider  himsell" 
fortunate  that  such  is  the  case.  A  design  is  at  fault 
respecting  even  distribution  when  it  is  complete  so  far 
as  the  general  conception  and  use  of  the  elements  are 
concerned,  that  is,  when  the  addition  or  subtraction  of 
another  element  would  spoil  its  construction  and  effect, 
and  it  does  not  then  conform  to  the  law  of  even  distri- 
bution; when,  on  the  one  hand,  it  is  obvious  that  other 
elements  are  required  to  fill  out  the  spaces  and  that 
this  cannot  be  done  without,  on  the  other  hand, 
destroying  the  constructive  value  of  the  design. 

Order.—K  consideration  of  this  principle  leads  us  to 
the  r^^'-rrlusion  that  our  designs  should  be  well  con- 
side  to  the  relations  and  proportions  that  should 
exisL  een  their  various  parts;  and  that  a  certain 
definite  plan  should  be  followed  in  the  building  up  uf 
the  designs.  Order  should  be  observed  both  in  the 
selection  and  in  the  distribution  of  the  elements. 
This  implies  that  a  certain  unity  should  exist  between 
all  the  parts  of  a  design. 

All  the  elements  should  be  selected  with  a  view  to 
their  probable  combination;  and  this  combination  of 
elements  should  be  well  and  carefully  considered  with 
regard  to  the  effect  to  be  produced  in  connection  with 
the  object  the  design  is  for.  Further  reference  will 
be  made  to  "Order"  in  the  next  chapter. 

Balance  and  Proportion.~T\\if=>^  principles  are  of  the 
very  greatest  importance.     In  the  first  place,  in  con- 


I 


t-: 


=JS 


s^L 


W^t^ 


130 


PRACTICAL  WOOD  CARVING 


structing  any  design  it  should  be  well  considered  as  to 
the  proportion  that  shal'  exist  between  the  various 
parts  of  the  article  to  be  carved.  It  is  a  very  com- 
mon'thing— much  too  con-.'on— to  see  the  whole  of 
the  exposed  surfaces  of  an  article  carved,  and  that, 
too  often,  in  the  most  lavish  manner  and  with  not  a 
plain  relieving  surface  of  any  description;  often 
enough,  too,  the  defining  edges  of  mouldings,  which 
should  mean  so  much  to  the  whole  effect  of  the  con- 
ception, are  rounded  over  or  cut  up  by  elements  of  the 
design,  and  thus  their  distinctive  value  is  destroyed 
and  the  very  reason  for  their  existence  is  ignored. 
There  are  at  least  two  good  reasons  why  furniture 
should  not  be  carved  over  its  entire  surface  as  a  rule; 
one  is  that  the  effect  of  each  separate  design  is  in 
danger  of  being  killed  or  destroyed  by  that  of  the 
adjoining  designs,  and  the  other  is  that  it  produces  a 
sense  of  unrest  and  often  irritation — the  whole  article 
gives  you  the  impression  of  being  too  "busy,"  too 
much  cut  up;  there  is  no  place  upon  which  the  eye 
can  rest  to  obtain  relief  from  the  effect  of  the  carved 
work. 

We  do  not  say  that  objects  should  »e7'er  be  covered 
with  carving,  because  attention  need  only  be  called  to 
Indian  and  other  Oriental  carving  to  see  that  success 
can  be  gained  by  such  treatment;  but  it  needs  a  very 
great  gift  as  a  designer  to  so  balance  the  various 
designs  for  the  different  members,  and  to  so  arrange 
them  as  regards  proportion  of  mass  and  line,  large  and 
important  elements  with  smaller  and  less  important, 
and  so  forth,  as  to  gain  that  repose  that  is  necessary 
to  all  good  design ;  and  it  does  not  appear  that  Western 
artists  have  been  as  successful  in  this  respect  as  the 
Eastern  ones. 


x<OUNDED  FORMS  OR  CARVING  PROPER  131 

We,  generally,  in  thinking  out  any  scheme  of  design 
have  some  particular  panel  or  element  or  feiture  to 
which  we  wish  to  give  a  special  interest,  and  which, 
therefore,  requires  to  be  so  treated  that  more  than 
ordinary  attention  shall  be  dra-vn  to  it;  and  it  is  this, 
it  seems  to  me,  that  requires  the  use  of  plain  mould' 
ings  or  framework  or  oCher  similar  feature  spoken  of, 
to  so  give  it  the  necessary  emphasis. 

With  regard  to  the  application  o{  these  principles  of 
balance  and  proportion  to  the  product  ^  n  of  the  actual 
design,  the  same  remarks  substantially  apply. 

Regard  should  be  had  to  the  proportion  existing 
between  the  space  to  be  ornamented  and  the  elements 
used,  especially  bearing  in  mind  the  distance  from  the 
eye  at  which  the  ornamentation  is  to  be  placed 
eventually;  this  consideration  should  enter  very  largely 
into  any  scheme  of  decoration. 

The  relation  that  should  exist  between  the  size  and 
importance  of  the  elements  used  in  the  design  should 
be  well  considered,  so  as  to  get  a  design  that  shall  be 
well  balanced  in  all  its  parts. 

A  well-balanced  and  proportionate  design  should  be 
based  upon  natural  laws,  so  that  harmony  of  parts 
results. 

Repetition  and  Alteration. —The  two  principles  may  be 
taken  together;  they  have  enough  of  what  is  common 
to  both  to  enable  them  to  be  considered  together,  and 
there  is  sufficient  difference  between  them  to  enable 
them  to  be  easily  distinguished.  Repetition  consists 
in  the  same  element  being  used  in  a  continuous 
manner  upon  those  members  whose  shape  demands 
such  use.  Instances  of  such  a  requirement  occur  upon 
mouldings  borders,  narrow  upright  stiles,  rails, 
cornices,   dado  rails,    picture    mouldings,   and    other 


^144:-: 


132 


PRACTICAL  WOOD  CARVING 


places  which  will  be  noticed  by  the  student  when  con- 
sidering schemes  of  ornament.  It  occurs  the  i  lObt 
often,  and  its  use  is  the  more  simple  and  unmeaning 
elements,  as  geometrical  forms  and  figures  and  natural 
objects.  Chip  carving  will  readily  suggest  itself  to 
the  student  as  affording  an  extensive  manifestation  of 
the  principle  of  repetition,  in  which  the  simplest  of 
all  unmeaning  forms  are  joined  together  to  produce 
the  homogeneous  effect  intended.  As  we  use  more 
developed  forms — forms  which  have  more  meaning  in 


Repetition 


Fk;.   86. 

themselves,  either  because  of  their  artistic  capabilities 
or  from  their  symbolic  meaning— we  should  use  them 
with  less  frequency  until,  when  we  reach  the  last  of 
the  classes  of  elemexits,  viz.,  the  human  figure,  it 
should  be  used  the  least  of  any  element  in  this 
connection. 

A  study  of  the  elements  emploj'ed  in  design  and 
their  use  throughout  the  historical  periods  of  art,  gives 
us  the  key  to  the  use  of  repetition  and  its  place  in 
decorative  design.     It  is  that  the  less  meaning,  from 


^«Sia 


ROUNDED  FORMS  OR  CARVING   PROPER  133 


the  points  oi  view  of  eith'jr  beauty  or  symbolism,  a 
form  possesses,  the  more  legitimate  is  its  use  as  a 
repeated  element;  it  not  jnly  does  not  offend  our 
perceptions,  but  it  appears  to  be  absolutely  necessary 
t'^  gain  the   jbjt'ct  aimed  at. 

But  the  more  meaning  an  element  expresses,  the 
more  should  it  be  emphasized;  anil  it  can  only  be 
emr«hasized  by  being  isolated,  either  by  the  absence  of 
other  decoration,  by  being  surrounded  by  either  plain 
ground,  or  the  straight  lines  given  by  mouldings  sur- 
rounding, or  by  less  developed  and  more  unmeaning 
elements. 

And  this  means  that  the  more  beauty  or  symbolism 
shown  by  an  element,  the  less  frequently  should  it  be 
employed.  This  question  of  the  varying  interest 
possessed  by  various  elements,  and  how  they  should 
be  arranged  with  regard  to  the  wellbeing  of  the  whole 
design,  will  be  further  considered  under  the  head  of 
Fitness. 

Alteration  is  the  alternate  repetition  ol  .he  same 
element,  the  intervals  being  filled  with  other  elements. 

This  is  sometimes  done  when  it  is  considered 
necessary  to  use  a  certain  element  because  of  its 
symbolic  nature,  which  makes  it  appropriate  to  the 
article  to  be  decorated;  but  when  such  element  being 
repeated  without  other  elements  it  would  induce 
monotony,  or  would  have  its  full  effect  considerably 
modified  by  repetition,  it  is  in  such  cases  introduced 
at  intervals  only,  the  spaces  between  being  filled  by 
elements  of  a  lesser  interest. 

Symmetry. — This  principle  is  very  closely  having  the 
leading  lines  upon  which  we  build  our  elements,  and 
which  form  the  "skeleton"  of  the  design,  equal  on 
both  sides. 


^'■-^x^, 


134  PRACTICAL  WOOD  CARVING 

In  most  desifrns  it  does  not  necessarily  follow  that 
all  the  details  of  the  design  should  be  the  same  on 
both  sides,  although  that  would  follow  if  we  carried 
out  this  principle  to  its  fullest  extent.  But  the 
principle  of  Variety  suggests  that  such  is  not  necessary. 
If  we  apply  it  to  the  leading  lines— the  general 
appearance  only— it  will  be  carrying  the  application 
of  the  law  quite  as  far  as  is  necessary.  This  especially 
applies  to  designs  whose  extent  is  fairly  large  and  in 
which  the  departure  in  detail  from  a  symmetrical  plan 
would  not  be  injurious  to  the  general  proportion  and 


Good 
Radiation. 


Fig.  87. 


Bad 

Radiation, 
as  shown    bv 
Dotted  Lines  A  B 


balance  of  the  design,  and  where  such  departure  vould 
not  be  obtrusive  in  character.  But  it  would  be  as  well 
to  remark  that  beginners  will  be  well  advised  if  they 
strictly  adhere  to  the  general  rule  of  symmetry  for  a 
considerable  time,  at  any  rate  until  they  have  made 
suth  progress  that  their  artistic  sense  and  judgment 
have  developed  so  far  as  to  enable  them  to  feel  when 
and  where  and  to  what  extent  the  law  of  Variety 
dictates  or  suggests  a  departure  from  the  law  of 
Symmetry.  Lei  it  be  borne  in  mind  that  a  very 
definite  and  cogent  reason  must  always  exist  to  render 


ROUNDED  FORMS  OR  CARVING   PROPER  135 


any  departure  from  a  gcncr.il  principle  advisable.  It 
should  not  be  done  for  any  fanciful  reason;  the  reason 
should  be  felt;  in  fact,  it  sh'  uld  follow  almost  as  a 
matter  of  course,  from  a  consideration  of  the  whole 
design  and  the  elements  used. 

Radiation. — This  law  is  a  very  essential  feature  in 
any  system  of  decorative  design.  In  most  designs 
points  exist  from  which  the  leading  lines  apparently 
proceed,  and  other  subordinate  points  exist  from 
which  minor  elements,  such  as  buds  and  flowers, 
spring.     These  are  the  points  of  radiation. 

Radiation  is  of  three  kinds: 

(i)  That  which  springs  from  a  single  point. 

(2)  That  which  springs  from  a  vertical  line. 

(3)  That  which  springs  from  a  horizontal  line. 

An  illustraHon  of  the  first  is  a  flower,  such  as  the 
daisy,  in  which  all  the  petals  spring  or  radiate  from 
the  center.  A  well-formed  anthemion  illustrates  the 
second  kind  of  radiation,  and  an  example  of  the  third 
kind  is  afforded  by  a  border  consisting  of  a  single 
leaf  repeated,  every  leaf  springing  from  or  radiating 
from  the  lower  line  or  margin  of  the  border. 

Many  otherwise  good  designs  are  quite  ruined  by  a 
disregard  of  this  vital  principle.  All  good  design 
should  have  its  elements  radiating  perfectly,  in  a  good 
curve,  and  with  just  that  kind  of  curve  which  most 
nearly  fulfills  the  requirements  demanded  by  Propor- 
tion and  Balance  to  make  this  curve  natural,  easy  and 
yet  strong.  Just  what  curve  will  meet  these  recjuire- 
ments  the  student  must  find  out  by  constant  study, 
observation  and  practice;  by  giving  a  certain  definite 
amount  of  time  each  day  to  drawing,  the  knowledge 
of  the  conditions  attending  good  radiation  will 
gradually  unfold  itself  to  the  student. 


^e 


rfci;a< 


136  PRACTICAL  WOOD  CARVING 

It  IS.  it  may  he  remarked,  not  nccrssarv  to  continue 
the  elements  .juitc  up  i,,  tlu-  point  of  radiaticm;  a  con- 
siclerable  distance  may  separate  them,  hut  it  should  be 
well    understood    that    the    element    shoukl     have    its 
appearinjr  point  so  placed  with   relation  to  its  K'cneral 
direction  and  the  curves  of  its  outlines  that  it  su^'^jests 
(inile  readily  its  source  and  ori^nn;  and  if  it  is  joined 
by  a  huht  pencil  line  to  its  source,  the  line  so  produced 
should  be  in  exact  correspondence  with  what  we  should 
cxp.ct  to  be  the  case   if  the  principle  of  radiation  is 
obs.-rved     that   is,   it  should  be  of  a  good  curve  and 
direction,  without  any  lameness  or  break  in  its  contour; 
It   should    be   stron^r  and    vi^'orous,    and    the   relation 
between  the  curve  and  the  weit,rht  and  extent  of  orna- 
ment It  has  to  bear  should  be  kept  well  in  mind. 

I'^f  '  'v  ^f//</  Cof,/n,s/.—Vimcty  has  been  called  "the 
sal^  of  lament  that  cures  the  insipidilv  of  repetition  " 
Monotony  often  results  from  the  continued  repetition 
of  any  element;  but  if  variety  is  introduced  judiciously 
with  good  taste,  and  with  a  sense  of  the  fitness  of 
things,  this  monotony  need  never  appear. 

Variety  can  be  introduced  in  so  manv  different  ways 
that  each  stage  of  designing  can  afford  to  the  student 
an  interest  it  would  not  otherwise  possess. 

In  building  or  planning  the  design  it  can  be  kept  in 
view  by  the  arrangement  of  the  leading  lines,  by 
choosing  the  various  elements  to  be  used  and'  by 
arranging  them  so  that  the  necessary  contrast  is 
obtained;  and  in  the  arrangement  of  the  details 
variety  can  be  brought  in  by  the  use  of  different 
elements  in  similar  corresponding  places  so  as  to 
avoid  that  monotony  that  is  often  induced  by  the  too 
regular  occurrence  of  the  same  element.  The  treat- 
ment it  is  proposed  to  give  to  the  elements  should  also 


.^■Ki^JE^AiKr/^^ 


ROUNDRD  FORMS  OR  CARVING   I'Rci'KR  137 

be  kept  in  mind;  this  has  much  to  do  in  decidinj,'  what 
particular  el' ment  should  be  used  in  a  given  place,  h 
is  not  pKvays  the  she  of  the  element  that  is  the 
important  point,  but  its  sur/tuc,  whether  smooth  or 
broken  up. 

Variety  depends   very   lar^jely    upon    the    elements 
available  for  its  full  use.     From  a«o  to  age  these  have 
varied,    and    the    art   of   each    period    has   gained    or 
suffered  by   the  p  ofusion  or  poverty  that  existed  at 
that  particular  tiiie.     It  reached  its  highest  point  in 
the  late   Renaissance,  when  natural  and  artificial  foli- 
age,  artificial  objects,  animals  and  the  human  figure 
were  very  extravagantly  employed.     In  chip  carving, 
perhaps,  our  use  of  elements  is  most  strictly  confined. 
Few  elements  are  used,  and  repetition  has  necessarily 
to  be  very  largely  employed.     In   introducing  variety 
it  should  be  the  aim  of  the  student  to  ilo  so  only  when, 
as  already  pointed  out,  a  distinct   necessity  for  such 
use  arises.     If  this  is  not  kept  well  in  view,  a  tendency 
will  arise  and  rapidly  develop  to  introduce  it  in  a  very 
lavish   manner,  and   the  result  of   this  would  be   that 
other  principles  would  be  utterly  disregarded  and  the 
design  ruined.     Flxercisc  restraint  in  using  your  ma- 
terial and  remember  that  the  success   of   the   design 
does  not  depend  upon  using  one  principle  excessively 
to  the  disregard  of  the  others,  and  that  success  is  much 
.  more  likely  to  be  gained  by  a  due  consideration  of  all 
the  principles  of  design  and  of  all  the  requirements  of 
the  a       le  to  be  ornamenteil. 

Fitmss.~\Jndcv  this  head  comes  the  consideration  of 
the  material,  the  kind  and  quantity  of  the  elements  and 
their  subsequent  arrangement  and  the  style  of  article 
to  be  decorated. 

It   will    easily   be    understood    by   woodworkers    in 


-.-•iea*!— 5iiL.-!BfiL._.  «l  t^ '  W. 


«38 


PRACTICAL  WOOD  CARVING 


gi-neral  that  certain  kinds  of  wuod  lend  themselves 
naturally  to  designs  consistinj,' of  Ing,  strong;,  "lumpy" 
clenu-nts.  Oak,  ash  and  pine  are  examples;  the  grain 
is  witle  anti  unsuitable  for  fine  work  involving  the 
introduction  of  small  elements.  Oak  can  he  obtained 
of  fine,  clo^^e  grain;  but  generally  sp«;aking,  broad 
effects  are  more  suitable  to  it  and  more  easily  obtained 
in  it  than,  /•..^.,  sycamore. 

Other  wooils,  as,  t-./^.,  boxwood  and  ebony,  are, 
because  of  tiieir  si/e  and  texture,  only  suited  to  finer 
work,  and  the  designs  suitable  for  working  in  either 
of  these  woods  should  be  fitted  to  their  peculiarities  ot 
grain.  In  like  manner,  oil  woods  differ  in  their  ability 
U>  give  the  best  expression  to  any  particular  design, 
and  this  should  be  well  considered  by  the  student  in 
evolving  his  designs.  Wood  also  is  weak  in  a  direc- 
tion "across  the  grain,"  and  any  design  made  should 
be  influenced  by  this  consideration.  With  regard  to 
the  kind  and  (juanlityof  the  elements,  the  selection  of 
these  should  be  governed  by  the  demands  of  the  article 
to  be  carved  and  the  particular  parts  or  members  to  be 
ornamented. 

And  this  applies  also  to  the  arrangement  or  general 
plan  employed  in  their  building  up.  By  a  judicious 
selection  of  elements  and  a  well-judged  and  carefully 
thought  out  plan,  the  design  can  be  made  to  suit  the 
article  so  that  the  necessary  emphasis  is  given  to  those 
parts  that  need  such  attention  being  called  to  them. 

Repose. — This  is  often  sadly  absent  from  designs. 
So  many  are  the  elements  introduced,  and  so  little 
care  is  exercised  in  their  arrangement,  that  the  effect 
obtained  is  one  of  irritation;  the  whole  design  seems 
worried  to  death  by  an  attemj)!  to  give  richness  and 
variety.     Too  much  contrast  is  fatal  to  the  wellbeing 


ROL'XDKD  FORMS  OR  CARVIN(,    PUol'KR  139 


should 
Repose 


of    the    tlesi^'ii      Simplicity,      not     richness, 
exercise  the  most  influence  with  the  student, 
is  induced  by 

(1)  A  suitable  arrangement  of  the  elements; 

(2)  A  suitable  method  of  treatment. 

The  latter  is  a  very  powerful  a^'ent   in  Kettinfj  that 
rep«)se  necessary. 

The  surface  should  not  be  cut  up  and  scored  across 
by  means  of  many  gou{,'e  cuts,  without  there  beinj,'  a 
corres.,ot  "  amount  of  plain  surface  introduced  in 
such  ma  :hat  it  balances  the  many  j^^ouj^fe  cuts. 

"'  "M,  i-.nooth  surfaces  have  a  very  j^reat  value  as 
decorative  af,'ents,  and  should  hv  plentifully  introdnc  d. 

We  are  now,  having  obtained  some  knowledge  of 
what  elements  are  used  in  design  and  the  principles 
upon  which  they  are  arranged,  in  a  position  to  build 
up  any  design  by  using  or  arranging  the  elements  in 
accordance  with  the  principles  given. 

The  spaces  and  sizes  of  spaces  to  which  design  can 
be  applied  are  so  varieci  and  numerous  that  it  is  impos- 
sible, in  a  short  series,  to  give  examples  illustrating 
each  and  every  shape  possible.  There  is  the  parallef- 
ogram,  circle,  ellipse,  triangle,  spandrel,  column,  pilas- 
ter, octagon,  hexagon  and  many  other  shapes  both 
of  regular  and  irregular  forms. 

Varied  though  these  forms  and  shapes  are,  however, 
there  is  a  similarity  as  regard  their  planning;  there  is 
a  certain  principal  course  to  adopt  that  is  the  same 
throughout,  varying  only  in  the  modification  necessary 
to  adapt  the  general  plan  of  the  design  to  the 
necessities  of  the  shape. 

This  being  so,  we  cannot  do  better  thnn  select  the 
parallelogram  as  the  object  of  our  present  work,  and 
we  will  show  how  a  design,  or  designs,  should  be  built 


i 


140 


PRACTICAL  WOOD  CARVING 


up  by  the  application  of  the  principles  described  to  a 
rectangular  shape,  such  as  a  square  or  an  oblong, 
these  forms  being  easy  of  application  as  panels  or 
pilasters,  bosses,  etc. 

It  should,  in  the  first  place,  be  decided  just  what 
particular  kind  of  carving  it  is  intended  to  adopt  in 
the  scheme  of  decoration,  because  this  has  much  to  do 
in  deciding  just  how  to  build  the  design  and  what 
elements  to  use  in  its  composition. 

If  it  is  intended  to  execute  the  work  in  very  high 
relief,  then  the  principal  consideration  should  be  that 
of  "mass." 

The  object  of  high  relief  vork  is  to  produce  deep, 
black  shadows,  which,  when  contrasted  with  the  light 
reflected  from  the  raised  portions,  produce  a  definite 
effect  in  light  and  shade;  and  when  the  shadows  are 
well  arranged,  so  that  a  good  balance  and  a  certain 
specific  proportion  exist  between  them,  then  the  work 
may  be  considered  good.  It  may  be  remarked  here 
that  high  relief  should  be  decided  upon  from  a  con- 
sideration of  the  above  principles  of  balance  and  pro- 
portion of  light  and  shade.  I  am  afraid  it  is  often 
introduced  from  a  desire  to  "show  off"— the  desire  to 
show  an  admiring  world  how  clever  the  artist  is,  both 
in  the  design  and  execution.  This  is  always  bad  and 
should  be  avoided  as  you  would  avoid  poison.  In  all 
periods  the  degenerate  in  art  has  been  and  can  be 
identified  by  this  tendency,  and  the  result  is  extrav- 
agance of  ornament,  both  in  conception  and  execution, 
without  any  connection  with,  or  consideration  of,  its 
real  decorative  value. 

In  low  relief  work,  on  the  other  hand,  the  chief  con- 
sideration is  that  of  "line";  that  is  to  say,  the  decora- 
tive value  of  the  design  depends  upon  the  arrangement 


ROUNDED  FORMS  OR  CARVING   l^ROPER  141 

of  the  curves  and  principal  lines.  There  is  no  attempt 
to  produce  deep,  black  shado.^.-^-  the  whole  effect  is 
produced  by  beauty  of  curve  and  the  particular  arrange- 
ment of  the  outlines  of  the  design. 

Between  these  extremes  lie  many  gradations,  each 
combining  more  or  less  the  two  principles  of  mass  and 
line.  Most  designs  for  ordinary  amateur's  work,  or, 
for  that  matter,  any  work,  are  built  up  upon  a  con- 
sideration of  both  principles. 


'i 


/ 

- -V- 

dL i 


x 

/            . 

•                                    1 

-I ■ 5 

Os 

r 

1 

v:: 

j^ 

^T— -{— 

!      VX 

Fig.  .  87K. 

The  question  will  arise,  naturally,  as  to  what  it  is 
that  governs  the  use  of  either  principle.  Broadly 
speaking,  high  relief  should  be  used  in  any  place 
where  it  is  obvious  some  ornament  should  be,  but  that 
is  too  far  removed  from  the  eye  to  enable  any  detail 
work  to  be  seen  or  appreciated.  It  is  in  just  such  a 
position  as  this  that  the  broad  effects  of  light  and 
shade  produced  by  this  method  are  most  valuable. 

Low  relief  can  be  used,  and  is  the  most  suitable,  in 
places  nearer  to  the  eye,  where  the  effect  produced  by 
the  beautiful  curves,  the  close  detail  and  the  delicate 
cutting  can  be  most  appreciated. 


142 


PRACTICAL  WOOD  CARVING 


It  can  be  seen  that  if  high  relief  is  desired,  then  the 
design  will  be  built  up  upon  the  arrangement  of  mass. 
The  position  of  the  masses  will  be  decided  upon  first; 
then  they  will  be  joined  by  stalks  or  bands,  etc.,  as 
may  be  determined,  and  the  character  to  be  assumed 
by  the  masses  decided  upon— that  is,  as  to  whether 
they  will  be  flowers,  fruit  or  foliage,  animals  or  birds, 
or  human  figures.  In  Figs.  87}4  and  88  is  shown  a 
square  panel,  and  in  the  sketches  comprising  the  series 


Fig.  88. 

are  shown  the  various  steps  leading  from  an  entirely 
blank  surface  to  the  completed  design. 

In  the  first  place  we  determine  the  position  and 
general  arrangement  of  the  masses,  which  in  this  case 
consist  of  a  central  large  mass  surrounded  by  four 
smaller  masses. 

The  next  step  consists  in  joining  the  masses  in  a 
decorative  yet  intelligent  and  natural  manner.  In 
order  to  do  this  we  must  decide  just  what  form  and 
character  the  masses  are  to  partake  of.  It  will  be 
obvious  that  the  central  mass  should  be  of  the  greater 
interest,  since  its  position  and  size  render  it  capable  of 


ifW' 


r.iw^i'mi^swBa'jmr 


TTT 


■;-fci,iv-. 


ROUNDED  FORMS  OR  CARVING   PROPER  143 

being  invested  with  greater  significance.  This  be  ng 
so,  we  can  decide  to  make  the  central  mass  into  a  head, 
either  that  of  an  animal,  or,  if  we  are  very  ambitious, 
we  could  decide  upon  a  human  head.  We  will,  how- 
ever, not  go  quite  so  far  as  this  just  at  present,  and 
will  content  ourselves  with  a  mask.  The  four  other 
minor  masses  may  be  determined  into  flowers.  It 
will  then  be  apparent  how  we  can  connect  the  various 
masses  together  in  a  natural  and  decorative  manner, 
by  causing  the  flowers  to  spring  from  the  central  mass 
by  means  of  stalks.  These  can  be  flanked  by  leaves, 
or  can  have  any  suspicion  of  stiffness  modified  or 
counterbalanced  by  the  introduction  of  ribbon  work  or 
strap  work. 

In  deciding  what  details  should  be  used  in  the  com- 
position of  the  masses,  the  distance  of  the  panel  from 
the  eye  should  always  be  kept  in  mind;  if  this  be 
effectually  done,  the  mistake  of  putting  in  too  much 
detail  will  be  avoided.  In  this  connection  it  may  be 
as  well  to  call  the  attention  of  students  to  the  peculiar 
ornament  called  the  "mask,"  used  byth  j  stone  carvers 
of  the  thirteenth  century,  sometimes  as  a  hood  mould; 
sometimes  also  it  .s  found  in  corbel-tables.  Seen  at  a 
small  distance,  this  appears  to  be  merely  a  peculiarly 
shaped  terminal,  but  when  placed  in  its  proper 
position,  at  least  several  feet  from  the  eye,  it  assumes 
the  appearance  of  a  human  face,  somewhat  grotesque, 
no  doubt,  but  nevertheless  reproducing  faithfully  the 
lights  and  shadows  that  go  towards  the  composition  of 
the  face  of  a  strongly  marked  individuality,  as  in  Fig. 
88.  If  this  panel  has  been  well  designed,  it  should 
answer  to  the  tests  which  may  be  applied  by  means  of 
our  knowledge  of  the  principles  described  and  set  forth 
previously.    It  should,  for  instance,  be  well  and  evenly 


»»  !i  i<y ' 


144 


PRACTICAL  WOOD  CARVING 


distributed  as  regards  the  elements;  it  should  be 
symmetrical,  so  far  as  the  masses  are  concerned, 
although  these  masses  may  be  differently  treated  in 
respect  of  their  detail,  e.g.,  one  of  the  four  minor 
masses  may  be  a  full  flower,  another  a  bud,  and  so 
forth,  always  having  a  regard  to  their  balance  and 
proportion.  Likewise,  these  principles  of  balance  and 
proportion  should  be  taken  into  account  in  the  arrange- 
ment of  the  strap  work  and  ribbon  work,  etc.,  so  that 
all  the  miner  parts  should  help  to  emphasize  the  more 
important  meinbcrs,  rather  than  detract  from  their  true 
appearance  and  effect  as  masses. 

All  minor  pats  should  be  subordinate  in  character 
(and  this  should  be  remembered  in  their  treatment), 
and  should  never  be  given  such  importance  as  will 
cause  them  to  obtrude  themselves  upon  our  notice  to 
the  detriment  of  the  more  important  members. 

In  such  systematic  manner  should  these  principles 
be  applied  to  the  finished. design,  until  the  student 
unconsciously  begins  to  use  them  in  the  production  of 
his  designs,  unti'  he  has  made  their  consideration  a 
part  of  his  artistic  self. 

I  should  like  at  this  stage  to  point  out  the  great 
importance  of  the  due  consideration  of  the  principle 
of  restraint.  When  we  have  reached  a  certain  stage  in 
our  artistic  evolution  we  feel  ourselves  apparently 
capable  of  designing  anything,  even  of  reaching  to  the 
heights  attained  by  Grinling  Gibbons,  Michael  Angelo, 
or  Niccola  Pisano,  and  as  a  consequence  we  rush  into 
the  commitment  of  the  most  absurd  extravagances. 
This  is,  no  doubt,  very  interesting  to  the  sociologist, 
as  showing  how  clearly  and  automatically  even  we 
reflect  in  our  actions  our  inner  impulses;  but  it  is  quite 
fatal  to  our  ambitions  to  produce  sound  design  that 


^BP 


\\\  ^ts. 


^  i.*'fc._ 


-sww 


ROUNDED  FORMS  OR  CARVING  PROPER  145 

will  last  through  the  succeeding  centuries,  as  the  works 
of  the  above-mentioned  artists  have  remained  through 
the  intervening  periods,  and  are  still  with  us,  undi- 
minished in  their  excellence,  undimmed  in  their  glory 
by  the  centuries  that  have  passed. 

A  rcsumi'oi  this  article  shows  us  that  design  should 
be  built  up  as  follows: 

(i)  If  in  high  relief,  it  should  be  arranged  according 

to  mass. 

(2)  The  elements  to  be  used  should  be  decided  upon, 
having  due  regard  to  their  suitability  for  the  purpose 
intended. 

(3)  Plan  the  masses  with  due  regard  to  proportion, 
balance,  symmetry,  etc. 

(4)  Connect  them  by  suitable  elements  into  a  unified 
whole,  applying  the  principle  of  subordination  to  the 
minor  and  connecting  elements. 

(5)  Fill  in  the  details  of  the  masses,  having  due 
regard  to  the  distance  of  the  panel  from  the  eye,  and 
the  manner  in  wh'ch  the  carving  will  ultimately  be 
lighted. 

We  have  here  attempted,  in  a  brief  and  concise 
manner,  to  show  how  design  is  begun  and  to  show  in 
as  accurate  a  manner  as  possible  how  it  is  ultimately 
built  up.  It  would  be  as  well  for  the  student  to  now 
practice  upon  these  lines.  Take  a  square  and  try  to 
arrange  it  in  some  other  ivay  than  that  above  described. 
And  it  would  be  as  well  here  to  mention  what  may  be 
termed  "the  personal  element."  This  differs  with 
each  one,  and  is  the  cause  of  the  wide  difference  that 
exists  between  our  individual  work.  This  personal 
element  is  not  made  by,  and  is  very  little  under  the 
control  of,  the  principles  spoken  of  in  the  last  chapter. 
It  should  be  allowed  to  have  comparatively  free  play. 


146 


PRACTICAL  WOOD  CARVING 


so  that  the  work  produced  by  each  student  may  be 
stamped  with  that  originality  and  individuality  which 
are  very  much  lacking  at  the  present  time. 

The  student  should  now  have  advanced  far  enough, 
providing  practice  has  been  obtained,  to  do  some  more 
important  work  than  we  have  hitherto  undertaken.  It 
should  be  remembered  and  well  borne  in  mind  con- 
tinually that  it  is  not  sufficient,  by  any  means,  to  know 
hoxv  to  do  the  work;  it  is  very  necessary  to  have 
sufficient  manual  skill  to  be  able  to  doit;  and  this  can 
only  come  by  means  of  incessant  practice.  Without 
wishing  to  discourage  any  student,  it  may  be  stated 
that  it  is  the  opinion  of  the  writer  that  perfect  control 
of  the  tools  is  obtainable  only  by  years  of  practice. 

The  object  of  this  lesson  is  to  introduce  a  design 
which  presents  greater  difficulties  than  we  have  yet 
encountered.  This  design,  Fig.  89,  possesses  various 
points  of  interest,  although  many  of  the  elements  used 
in  its  composition  will  be  familiar  to  those  who  have 
closely  followed  this  course.  The  particular  points 
of  interest  to  which  I  wish  to  call  special  attention 
are  (i)  the  berries,  and  (2)  the  use  of  perspective. 

The  first-named  are  apt  to  be  a  stumbling-block  to 
many;  in  fact,  to  most  beginners  there  is  always  a 
difficulty  in  getting  the  berries  proportionate  with  one 
another,  and  as  regards  the  general  mass,  and  in  getting 
them  a  good  "fat"  shape,  so  that  they  may  play  their 
full  part  in  providing  that  amount  of  broken  surface 
essential  to  the  wellbeing  of  the  design. 

In  this  design  berries  occur  only  in  two  places,  but 
they  are  sufficient  for  our  purpose. 

It  should  be  noted  that  this  class  of  ornament  should 
be  sparingly  used,  as  a  rule.  The  object  of  including 
berries  in  a  design  is.  not  to  show  the  berries  them- 


'«|-^i^-:-!  ./MTTl 


ROUNDED  FORMS  OR  CARVING   PROPER  147 

selves,  or  to  give  utterance  to  the  skill  of  the  carver, 
but  to  provide  that  amount  of  regular  and  organized 
broken  surface  that    the    necessities  of  good   design 
demand. 
This   is  a   principle    too    often   overlooked.      The 


designer  should  have  in  view  the  value  of  his  scheme 
of  design,  looked  at  from  the  standpoint  of  decorative 
design;  its  value  as  a  scheme  ot  decorative  design 
looked  at  as  a  zvhole  should  be  more  important  to  him 
than  the  insertion  of  certain  flowers,  fruit  or  foliage  as 


148 


PRACTICAL  WOOD  CARVING 


being  elements    that    possess    in  themselvts  a  certain 
beauty  or  decorative  value. 

The  disregard  of  this  principle  often  results  in  a  too 

great  abundance  of  this 
class  of  element,  be- 
cause of  the  "effect"  it 
produces;  notably  in 
cheap  furniture,  upon 
which  readers  have 
probably  often  seen  V 
cuts  or  flutings  crossing 
each  other  to  produce 
either  an  imitation  of 
Chippendale  tracery  or 
an  appearance  of  ber- 
ries. 

With  regard  to  the 
actual  work  in  this 
panel,  which  is  that  of 
u  clock  door,  readers 
who  have  followed  the 
previous  lessons  will 
have  little  difficulty  in 
preparing  the  ground- 
work, by  first  taking  the 
V  tool  and  cutting  a 
trench  around  the  de- 
sign to  protect  the  cor- 
ners and  other  delicate 
parts,  then  setting  in 
and  taking  out  the  su- 
perfluous wood.  The  ground  should  be  about  r\-  to 
>4  inch  depth,  and  it  should  be  quite  smooth  and 
uniform;  in  the  photo  of  this  design  the  ground,  it 


Fig.  90. 


mm 


ROUNDED  FORMS  OR  CARVING  PROPER  149 

will  be  noticed,  is  punched,  but  this  is  not  necessary, 
and  it  should  be  the  aim  of  the  students  to  get  the 
ground  well  enough  done  to  dispense  with  this  artificial 
aid  to  effeci. 

In  "setting  in"  around  the  berries,  it  is  better  to 
proceed  as  in  Fig.  91,  "setting  in"  along  the  lines  a  a; 
this  protects  the  berries  from  damage  to  their  outlines 
when  taking  out  the  ground.     It  should,  however,  be 


pointed  out  that  the  tools  should  not  be  driven  in  too 
far,  else  the  cuts  made  by  them  show  upon  the  ground 
when  we  have  cut  the  berries  back  to  their  ultimate 
outline.  Now  cut  the  berries  back;  this  can  easily  be 
done  now,  and  this  treatment  ensures  a  firm  and  clean 
edge  to  their  outline. 

The    next   step   in    carving    the    berries    is   rather 
important;  beginners  generally  "set  in"  each  separate 


'* 


iiiiiita 


lii 


tt 


msmmm 


ISO 


PRACTICAL  WOOD  CARVING 


borry  now,  and  the  xcsuU  is  that  the  whole  mass  oi 
berries  presents  a  /iaf,  uniform  and  monotonous 
appearance 

The  better  way  is  to  "set  in"  along  the  edge  of  the 
calyx,  marked  ^^  in  Fig,  91,  and  then  model  the  sur- 
f:i  ,e  of  the  berries  as  in  Fig.  91,  treating  them  as  one 
whole  mass  and  giving  it  a  section  as  in  Fig.  gi, 

In  this  way  the  whole  mass  of  the 
berries  partakes  of  the  general  shape 
of  the  member  or  element  they  spring 
from,  and  it  effectually  prevents  them 
being  all  in  the  same  plane  and  thereby 
inducing  monotony.  Of  course,  it  will 
be  noticed  that  the  pencil  lines  have 
gone,  and  we  can  now  redraw  them, 
or  merely  allow  the  tool  to  outline 
them;  the  latter  is  better  training  for 
the  eye.  In  this  connection  it  is  main- 
tained by  some  car /ers  that  every  one 
who  aspires  to  be  a  credit  to  the  pro- 
fession should  be  able  to  ^pensewith 
pencil  lines;  especially  i:  .lis  the  case 
with  solid  work  where  tl  original  pen- 
cil lines,  if  ever  there,  have  all  been 
cut  away.  This  may  seem  to  be  too 
severe,  and  in  many  cases  quite  un- 
necessary; but  it  has  this  great  virtue,  that  if  il  is  set 
before  the  student  as  an  ideal  at  which  to  aim,  he 
unconsciously  strengthens  his  sense  of  proportion, 
accurac    of  judgment  of  distance  and  curve. 

It  may  bo  pointed  out  here  that  the  size  of  the  berries 
is  an  important  consideration.  They  should  be  pro- 
portionate to  the  size  of  the  member  they  adjoin  or 
spring  from,  and  ihey  should  never  be  too  small;  keep 


Spctdc 


Fig.  92. 


ROUNDED  FORMS  OR  CARVING   PROPER  151 


them  on  the  large  side;  if  too  small  they  appear  to  be 
too  insignificant  and  lose  thereby  in  true  effect. 

The  next  step  is  to  outline  them  with  whatever  tool 
most  nearly  fits  the  curve;  a  "spade  tool"  is  the  best 
to  use  for  modeling  berries,  I'ig.  92;  the  particular 
shape  of  these  tools  enables  them  to  be  worked  into 
corners  an  ordinary  tool  will  not  touch.  The  result 
will  appear  as  in  Fig.  93. 

Where  the  cuts  join  one  another  will  appear  tri- 
angular spaces;  these  will  be  taken  out  and  a  ^mall 
platform  will  be  left;  the  spade  tool  by  being  tilted 
will  sink  these  triangular 
platforms  until  all  the  cuts 
meet  at  a  point.  It  is 
needless  to  say  that  clean, 
accurate  cutting  is  neces- 
sary, and  the  tool  points 
or  corners  need  to  be  quite 
sharp  and  pointed.  It  will 
be  found  of  advantage 
sometimes  to  have  tools 
ground  for  left  and  right 
hand  to  better  enable 
the  berries  to  be  cut  clean  down  to  the  lowest  point. 

The  tool  used  to  clean  off  the  surface  of  the  berries 
should  be  as  near  the  curve  of  the  surface  as  it  is 
possible  to  be,  so  that  the  berries  will  be  free  from 
unnecessary  tool  marks.  It  is  sometimes  thought 
necessary  to  finally  take  a  gouge,  the  exact  curve  of  the 
outline  of  the  berries,  and  lightly  "set  in"  around  the 
outline  by  hand;  this  gives  a  definiteness  to  the  berries 
which  they  often  lack. 

A  common  fault  is  to  get  the  berries  flat,  too  much 
being  taken  off  the  sides,  leaving  th'   hGrr'ms  pottUed  at 


Fig.  g3. 


152 


I'RACTICAL  WOOD  CARVING 


the  end  ,  id  with  distinct  ridges  down  the  sides  where 
the  two  mirl  meet.  This  can  partially  be  avoided  by 
holdinj,'  fh'  ,-  ige  quite  horizontal  when  beginning  the 
cut  for  joiiiidi.  .J  the  berries,  and  then  taking  it  slowly 
over.  1  o  n«;t  lave  the  berries  all  one  si/e;  this 
especi.'lK  rrfer  to  largr  clusters;  it  is  evident  that  the 
berries  .n  t;  ^  ,.  iter  should  be  the  largest  those  at  Mie 
sides  b  1,^  th-  sm?''<'r,  because  of  the  dem  nd  of 
perspe«  i  ive. 

This  c(.v  wr  or.  M  iplc  .>f  perspective  is  in  the  flowers 
in  this  p.  rticu.ir  design,  and  will  now  be  considered. 
When  floAers  ar*  .^hown  quite  full  face,  each  petal  is 
practically  the  same  size,  and  it  is  treated  in  a  similar 
manner;  but  when  they  are  tilted,  some  of  the  petals 
are  foreshortened;  in  fact,  they  all  are  affected  by  the 
altered  position,  in  proportion  to  the  amount  of  tilt, 
and  each  petal  requires  somewhat  different  individual 
treatment  to  make  it  play  its  full  and  effective  part  in 
the  scheme  of  decoration. 

As  the  design  is  sunk  only  }^  inch,  it  is  obvious  that 
as  the  flowers  here  shown  are,  roughly  speaking,  i% 
or  2  inches  in  diameter,  and  they  are  tilted,  they  would 
have  a  portion  of  their  width  and  depth  lying  behind 
the  plane  of  the  ground  as  shown  in  Fig.  94,  this  hc'mg 
a  longitudinal  section  of  that  part  of  the  pane  and, 
similarly,  the  front  petal  and  part  of  the  sid<  petals 
would  be  projecting  in  front  of  the  surface  of  the  panel. 
This,  of  course,  is  an  impossible  way  of  treraing  the 
flowers,  and  so  we  arrange  them  so  that  it  appears  as 
if  the  flower  had  been  pressed  up  against  the  back- 
ground and  has  its  back  or  top  petal  forced  f  ^ward 
and  the  front  petal  made  to  lie  backwards  and  d(iwh- 
wards,  as  at  b,  V\g.  94. 
In  this  position  we  must  make  it  appear  that  the 


lifeMiai 


ROUNDED   FORMS  OR  CARVING   PROPER  153 

flower  is  tilted  iit  an  angle  intended  by  the  designer; 
and  it  must  be  said  that  a  great  deal  depends  upon  the 
manner  of  treatment  adfjpted. 

It  will  be  noticed  in  the  photograph  that  the  back 
petals  are  hollowed,  as  |ht  P*ig,  95,  /?,  whilst  the  front 
petals  are  made /ul/  and  to/oul,  as  at  d.  Fig.  05.  The 
side  petals  should  iie  carved  s  at  f,  Fig.  95;  these 
sections,  it  should  be 
borne  in  mind,  are  cross 
sections  at  right  angles 
to  the  direjlion  of  the 
petals.  With  regard  uj 
the  centerpu  ce  re  [re- 
senting the  stamens,  etc., 
this  should  be  inclined 
at  a  suitable  angle  to  the 
plane  of  the  ground.  In 
the  photo  it  is  shown 
rounded;  an  alternative 
is  to  hollow  it,  and  then 
sink  a  cut  in  it,  as  sht)  vn 
at  c,  Fig.  95.  This  ap- 
parently throws  the  cen- 
ter fnrther  back  and  com- 
plete th'  llusion,  if  it 
may  be  so  termer,  of 
depth. 

-Sometimes  th*  cei  or  .ortion  of  the  flower  is  sunk 
below  the  level  of  t;  •  ^^round,  especially  when  the 
grounti  is  taken  t  onlv  }i  inch  or  less;  this  is  quite 
lep^itimate,  but  ,hoi  !d  '^c  ither  sparingly  adopted;  it 
has  the  best  eff<    t  when  only  occasionally  u    -d. 

It  may  be  reniarked  '  it  a  common  error  into  which 
beginners  often  fall  .do  certain  aids  to  effect. 


SB 


154 


PRACTICAL  WOOD  CARVING 


As  in  the  case  here  illustrated,  they  are  so  struck  by 
the  effect  produced  by  a  simple  "trick"  (it  may  be 
truly  so  called)  like  this  that  they  at  once  apply  it  to 
every  flower  upon  their  work,  and  fhereby  assist  in  the 
failure  of  their  work  as  a  scheme  of  decoration. 

An  occasional  element  treated  in  the  manner  de- 
scribed may  be  conducive  to  the  general  good,  but  a 
whole  series  of  elements  so  treated  would  be  very  much 
open  to  question. 

Most    of    the  difficulties   which   are   likely    to    be 
^  ,        encountered  by 

^^  vs^fe..  the  beginner 

have  now  been 
mentioned  and 
explained,  and 
the  student 
should  be  ready 
for  a  really  diffi- 
cult piece  of 
work.  This  is  provided  by  the  panel,  the  design  for 
which  is  given  in  Fig.  96. 

One  or  two  new  elements  are  introduced,  the 
principal  being  the  dragon  in  the  center.  This 
winged  dragon  is  really  the  chief  object  of  interest  in 
the  panel,  the  other  elements  merely  constituting  a 
"setting"  for  it;  consequently  it  should  receive  a 
special  amount  of  care  and  attention. 

It  will  also  be  noticed  that  the  groundwork  is  not 
punched  and  that  it  has  no  margin,  but  the  ground  is 
taken  quite  to  the  edge  of  the  panel.  This  latter  fact 
makes  the  carving  stand  out  further  than  it  would  if  it 
possessed  a  margin,  and  this  enhances  the  eftect.  In 
working  the  panel,  proceed  as  in  previous  examples. 
Trace  the  design  from  center  or  margin  lines  (center 


Fig.  95 


ROUNDED  FORMS  OR  CARVING  PROPER  155 

lines  preferred)  to  ensure  it  being  on  the  wood  true 
and  square,  then  run  the  V  tool  round  the  elements  to 
relieve  the  pressure  of  the  surrounding  wood,  then 
"set  in"  and  proceed  to  take  out  the  ground.  The 
ground  should  be  sunk  to  a  depth  of  not  more  than  jV 
inch;  %  inch  is  sufficient,  although  beginners  would 
naturally  imagine  that  a  design  containing  an  element 
of  the  nature  of  the  dragon,  with  its  wide  body  and 
various  prominent  peculiarities,  should  stand  quite  a 


Pig.  96. 

long  way  off  the  ground.  Reference  will  be  made  to 
this  later. 

The  size  of  the  panel,  which  should  be  in  hard  wood 
(oak  or  walnut  preferably),  is  30  inches  by  12  inches 
and  should  be  54  inch  or  3|  inch  in  thickness.  Gauge 
the  depth  (^  inch)  around  the  edge  of  the  board  with 
cither  a  single  prick  gauge  or  a  pencil,  and  proceed  to 
ground  out  as  already  described. 

Get  the  ground  uniformly  level  and  as  smooth  as 
possible;  and  it  may  be  here  remarked  that  a  ground 
finished  off  witn  the  carving  tool  and  showing  the 
marks  of  the  tool  is  of  more  value  than  a  ground 
leveled  down  with  the  "router"  and  taken  absolutely 


1 56 


PRACTICAL  WOOD  CARVING 


level  and  smooth.  It  has  a  greater  educational  value, 
because  of  the  really  genuine  ability  it  implies,  and  it 
also,  in  our  opinion,  has  a  greater  decorative  value 
because  of  the  tool  marks  and  the  clean,  crisp  way  in 
which  they  are  cut. 

Take  care  that  in  the  grounding,  or  rather  in  the  pre- 
liminary 'wasting  away"  of  the  wood,  the  quick  gouge 
is  not  taken  too  deeply,  or  the  cuts  will  show  after- 
wards. It  will  be  noticed  in  the  panel  illustrated  that 
this  has  occurred  at  the  top  about  a  foot  from  the 
right-hand  end.     Make  all  cuts  meet  each  other,  and 


H  r 


Fig.  97. 

always  cut  ivWi  the  grain  where  possible;  and  where  it 
is  necessary  to  cut  againsjt  the  grain  use  the  sweep  cut 
before  described.  In  this  way  the  carving  partakes  of 
that  shiny  character  of  surface  that  has  in  itself  the 
greatest  decorative  value,  and  stamps  the  work  as 
being  that  of  a  carver  who  possesses  more  than  an 
elementary  knowledge  of  the  grain  of  wood  and  the 
treatment  that  is  due  to  it.  Many  a  fine  piece  of  wood 
has  been  mutilated  and  utterly  spoiled  in  the  most 
fearful  manner  by  being  hacked  and  torn  with  just  as 
fearfully  blunt  tools  against  the  grain  and  across  it, 
and  in  any  way  but  the  right  way. 


mm 


ri^^s*^ii 


ROUNDED   FORMS  OR  CARVING   PROPER  157 

All  these  remarks  apply  particularly  to  modeling. 
Let  the  tool  be  perfectly  sharp,  so  that  it  can  have  a 
chance  to  show  what  it  can  do;  don't  be  afraid  to  use 
the  strop  from  time  to  time,  and  whenever  a  tool 
shows  the  least  sign  of  dullness  or  has  the  tiniest 
"gap"  in  it,  attend  to  it  at  once. 

All  cuts,  especially  the  finishing  cuts,  should  be 
clean,  smooth  and  crisp.  In  modeling  this  design,  it 
may  be  as  well  for  the  student  to  turn  and  read  again 
the  remarks  given  on  the  necessity  for  a  due  arrange- 
ment of  mass,  how  some  parts,  the  least  important, 
should  be  subordinated  to  others,  the  most  important; 
some  parts  should  be  sunk  to  the  ground  or  there- 
abouts, while  others  should  be  kept  raised  the  full 
height.  In  so  arranging  the  masses,  always  do  so  from 
the  collective  standpoint  of  the  welfare  of  the  whole 
design,  so  that  all  the  parts  shall  be  in  harmony  and 
that  one  part  shall  not  be  given  unduly  prominent 
effect  at  the  obvious  expense  of  another  equally 
important  part.  One  tendency  observable  in  the 
evolution  of  the  beginner  is  that  of  wishing  to  give 
undue  prominence  to  one  particular  portion  of  the 
carving  because  of  its  great  beauty,  irsespective  of  any 
possibility  of  thereby  destroying  the  harmony  of  the 
whole  by  so  doing.  E.xercise  restraint  in  treating  any 
design,  but  especially  do  so  when  treating  a  design 
that  has  any  element  or  element-s  that  border  upon  the 
ornate  and  extravagr.nt. 

In  this  design  the  stalks  can  be  kept  low,  swelling 
out  in  height  as  they  swell  out  in  width;  the  flower  and 
the  scroll  at  the  right-hand  end,  the  flower  with  the 
berries  or  seeds,  and  the  one  large  leaf  on  the  left  end 
of  the  panel  may  be  left  full  height;  the  other 
members  lowered  to  whatever  depth  may  seem  best  to 


158 


PRACTICAL  WOOD  CARVING 


the  student,  always  keeping  in  mind  the  unity  and 
harmony  of  the  whole  design.  With  regard  to  the 
treatment  of  the  individual  members  themselves,  after 
they  have  been  taken  to  their  respective  levels,  the  law 
of  variety,  as  applied  to  length  and  breadth  and  sur- 
face, should  be  applied.  Siak  one  side  of  a  leaf,  as, 
e.g.,  the  leaf  at  the  left  lower  corner  of  the  design. 
This  leaf  is  lowered  at  its  top  edge  and  kept  raised  at 
its  lower  edge,  as  a  leaf,  turning  in  the  manner  it 
does,  naturally  would  appear.  Other  leaves  should 
be  twisted  by  being  lowered  at  opposite  corners  before 
the  surface  by  the  ultimate  and  finishing  cuts  that  give 
the  leaf  its  final  shape. 

All  cuts  should  have  a  definite  relationship  to  the 
cun'c  of  the  member  or  group  of  members,  so  that  it 
emphasizes  the  curves.  A  careless  cut,  here  and  there, 
can  very  easily  entirely  spoil  the  character  of  the 
member;  and  often  by  so  doing  to  one  member  can 
spoil  the  effect  of  the  whole  carving. 

Notice  in  this  panel  how  the  ridges  enable  the  eye 
to  follow  the  curve;  how  the  tool  marks  even  act  in  a 
similar  manner;  how  they  all  lead  the  eye  in  the 
direction  the  designer  intended  they  should  lead  it; 
how  beginning  at  the  sources  of  the  elements  the  eye 
is  easily  carried  to  the  most  ultimate  point  of  each  leaf 
and  flower;  and  how,  vice  versa,  beginning  at  the  points 
or  endings  of  the  members,  the  eye  is  carried  easily 
aiid  obviously  to  the  source  of  them  all  without  break, 
without  distraction,  and  therefore  without  annoyance. 
It  is  being  able  to  do  this  that  gives  pleasure,  that 
makes  one  feel  that  all  the  possibilities  of  the  design 
have  been  realized,  that  the  carver's  powers  of  execu- 
tion have  been  equal  to  his  powers  of  conception. 

In  carving  the  berries,  follow  the  instructions  given, 


i.-'i;ss*r^i?»-fPiE;5r;^' 


ROUNDED  FORMS  OR  CARVING  PROPER  159 

and  give  special  attention  to  the  oiitiine  of  the  berries 
and  the  crevices  between  them. 

With  regard  to  the  dragon,  the  photograph,  Fig.  97, 
shows  the  method  of  treatment.  It  is,  of  course,  quite 
an  imaginative  creation.  No  "dragon"  as  depicted  in 
this  design  was  ever  in  existence,  but  although 
imaginative  in  its  present  form,  it  is  really  based  upon 
a  combination  of  natural  animal  forms. 

The  griflRn,   an   imaginative  creature  in  use  as  an 
element  of  design  from  the  earliest  times,  is  the  chief 
repres.entative  of  this  kind  of  ornament.     It  is  a  com- 
bination of  the  lion  and  the  eagle,  having  a  lion's  body 
and  the  head  and  wings  of  the  eagle.     Sometimes  we 
find  the  fore  part  of  the  griffin  possessed  of  an  eagle's 
legs  and  feet,  the  hind  quarters  being  those  of  the  lion. 
As  men,   in  their  eternal  search    after  the  new  and 
strange,  the  novel  and  the  original,  became  tired  of 
existing  elements  and  were  limited  in  choice  of  entirely 
new  objects  (either  natural  or  artificial)  from  which  to 
draw  new  inspiration,  they  turned  their  attention  to 
existing  elements,  and  by  a  process  of  pulling  to  pieces 
and  subsequent  building  up  they  produced  the  wonder- 
fully varied  grotesque  forms  found  in  Pompeian  and 
Roman  ornament;  and  subsequently  in  the  Renaissance 
these  forms  were  appropriated  and  developed      The 
present  dragon  possesses  a    head    that    migh.    be   a 
development  of  either  an  eagle  or  a  lion;  an  eagle's 
wings,  no  feet  or  legs,  and  a  fish's  tail.     The  body  is 
scaled,  the  scales  extending  each  in  the  form  of  an 
entire  ring  around  the  neck  and  body.     These  scales 
may  be  cut  up  into  smaller  scales,  as  in  Fig.  96,   if 
thought  necessary.    It  will  be  observed  that  the  artificial 
leaf,  which  has  been  a  feature  of  the  designs  used  in 
this  series,  enters  largely  into  the  composition  of  the 


r' 


i6o  PRACTICAL  WOOD  CARVING 

dragon.     Its    breast   is    covered    with    these    leaves 

of  thrbird'^th  ""^  '''':''  ^°'"^''^"*  ^''^  '^^  -""e 
of  the  bird;    they  form  .ts  beard,  also  its  ears    and 

e.r  .nfluence  is  observable  in  the  treatmen    of  the 

that"  „,Y   V    ''"''  '°  '^"  ^'"^''  '■'  "'■"  ^'  ^''^^^^'^ 
ha    naturalness,  grace  and  lightness  characterize  both 

the.  concept.on  and  treatment.  Often  these  wings 
are  too  wooden"  and  stiff,  unnatural  and  ungracefu 
m  both  respects.  Keep  the  feathers  of  varyinTnl 
and  w.dths.  although  it  maybe  pointed  out^thaMhi 
should  not  be  overdone-there  is  a  hapny  mean  tha 
should  be  sought  for. 

The  use  of  tool  marks  is  evident  here;  if  the  seoa 
rate  feathers  are  cleaned  off  quite  smoothly  al  the 
edges  cut  neatly  and  so  on,  then  it  will  be  evidln 
that  the  workman  who  carved  the  wing  was  able  to 
-t  well  and  accurately;  but  it  will  not  be  evident  thl' 
the  wmg  has  any  suspicion  of  life  beyond  tha  su^ 
gested  by  its  particular  shape  ^" 

is™;;;^^'-''"  '""'^"^  and  accurate  cutting 
s  necessary,  that  inner  perception  of  the  true  aim  of 
the  designer,  wh.ch  alone  enables  the  worker  to  Jive  a 
worthy  interpretation  of  the  design,  is  essent  al  tn.U 
good  work;  and  this  inner  perce'ption  can  b^g  Ld 

m'^^anTn^.    A?''  ''"'  ^^"'^■'  '^>'  ^^^'"^  '^  ^athom'he 
meaning  of  the  great  works  handed  down  to  u.  from 
early  times,  and  which  are  preserved  in  our  mn 
anrl    nr«-   r^-,ii«  •  .  H'cacrvea  in  our  museums 

and    ar     galleries;    and   works,    too,   of   recent  years 
should  be  studied,  so  that  by  a  process  ofcZl 
thp   BtiiH«r,*  I  ".y  rt  process  ot  comparison 

he  student  can   learn  the   lessons  to  be  drawn  from 
these  works.  "'awu  irom 

thil  d'estnl?'."^  instructions  app.y  to  the  treatment  of 

h.    design  If  sunk  only  to  the  depth  of  ^  inch      But 

•f  .t  IS  desired  to  use  the  panel  in  a  position  that  is  a 


ROUNDED  FORMS  OR  CARVING  PROPER  i6i 

good  distance  from  the  eye,  then  the  depth  could  be 
much  greater,  so  that  the  consideration  of  mass,  which 
is  essential  in  such  a  case,  shall  receive  the  proper 
emphasis. 

In  this  event,  the  principal  attention  should  be  given 
to  the  proportion  of  the  masses,  rather  than  to  detail; 
in  fact,  too  much  attention  to  detail  is  quite  un- 
necessary and  would  simply  be  labor  thrown  away. 

At  a  distance  all  that  is  perceived  of  the  design  is 
mass-  and  curve.  Get  the  masses  in  proper  proportion, 
so  that  a  good  balance  exists  between  all  parts,  and 
pay  attention  to  the  cutting  of  the  curves,  and  the 
design  will  be  a  success.  Get  this  well  grasped  first, 
and  let  the  details  alone.  The  treatment  of  the  indi- 
vidual parts  will  be  as  before  described,  but  the 
differences  in  height  and  depth  will  be  magnified.  The 
cutting  should  be  clean,  strong  and  bold. 

We  now  come  to  the  consideration  of  the  building 
up  of  a  design,  which  is  based  upon  the  principle  of 
''line.''  Perhaps  it  would  be  as  well  to  point  out  that 
it  is,  in  reality,  almost  impossible  to  separate  mass 
from  line.  In  nearly  all  really  satisfactory  designs 
both  have  to  be  considered  to  a  greater  or  less  extent. 
But  it  is  evident  that  in  originating  any  design  it  is 
attacked  from  either  one  or  the  other  point  of  view- 
that  of  mass  or  line— and  it  should  be  well  evident  in 
the  completed  design  from  which  point  cf  view  the 
artist  started.  If  from  that  of  mass,  then  the  consider- 
ation of  line  has  been,  and  should  easily  be  seen  to  be, 
an  auxiliary,  a  subordinate  consideration.  If  from  the 
point  of  view  of  lines,  the  opposite,  of  course,  is  the 
case.  Surface  carvings  and  all  carvings  in  low  relief 
should  be  considered  from  this  point  of  view,  that  of 
"line."     All  these  carvings  are  to  be  used  in  such  a 


titiiiMftiiiiii'mi  fatiSiii''" 


mmt 


mm 


162 


PRACTICAL  WOOD  CARVING 


position  that  they  are  always  comparatively  close  to 
the  eye,  and  therefore  details  can  be  easily  seen  and 
appreciated— details  such  as  clearness  and  sharpness  of 
outline,  beauty  of  curve,  arrangement  of  small  fruit, 
flowers  and  buds.  It  is  not  necessary  to  have  any 
great  effect  of  light  and  shade,  as  in  the  case  of 
designs  regulated  by  mass.  Continuity  and  beauty  of 
line  and  curve  are  the  principal  consideration. 

It  will  then  be  evident  that  the  designer  should 
arrange  the  direction  and  distribution  of  the  lines  in 
the  first  place.  If  any  mass  is  introduced  afterwards, 
its  size  and  position  and  character  will  be  determined. 


■Showing  th«  Formation  or  a  DtiiisK. 
Fig.  98. 

necessarily,  by  the  general  arrangement  of  the  lines  of 
the  design.  In  this  case  they  will  be  subordinate  to 
the  "line"  idea,  as  the  latter  was  subordinate  to  the 
idea  of  mass  in  our  first  example,  described  in  the  last 
chapter. 

The  space  at  our  disposal,  then,  is  planned  out  by 
the  use  of  what  may  be  termed  "leading"  •■  principal 
lines.  These  lines  determine  the  whole  <  laracter  of 
the  :'.jsign.  They  may  be  always  visible,  or  may  be 
quite  obliterated  by  being  covered  with  ornament;  but 
they  are  always  obvious,  and  form,  as  it  were,  the 
skeleton  of  the  design.     It  is,  therefore,  of  very  great 


ROUNDED   FORMS  OR  CARVING   PROPER  163 

importance  that  the  "leading"  lines  should  be  planned 
and  arranged  with  great  judgment  ami  care;  judicious 
and  careful  thought  should  be  expended  upon  their 
arrangement,  so  that  the  ultimate  design  built  upon 
them  shall  be  strong,  vigorous  and  graceful.     Figs.  98 


NO.  I. 


Fig.  99. 


Xo  4- 


and  99  give  a  series  of  illustrations  showing  the  method 
of  filling  in  and  arranging  the  "leading"  lines.  It  will 
be  evident  that  their  arrangement  depends  upon  the 
ultimate  position  of  the  panel;  as  to  whether  they 
shall  proceed  from  the  side,  or  a  corner,  or  an  end,  or 


^^^^jy^TSBB 


^SP 


,64  PRACTICAL  WOOD  CARVING 

the  middle;  also,  whether  they  shall  partake  of  a 
radiating  nature,  or  a  horizontal,  or  a  vertical  posat.on 
and.  of  course,  much  depends  uiK>n  the  style  we  choose 
from  which  to  take  our  elements  and  our  msp.ratton^ 
It  can  be  said  that  designing  from  a  consideration  of 
"line"  limits  us  more  as  regards  the  arrangement  of 
the  elements  than  designing  from  a  consideration  qf 
-mass  "  We  do  not  know  what  will  be  the  size,  or 
shape.'  or  character  of  our  masses  until  we  have 
arranged  the  "leading"  lines. 

In  practice  it  will    be  found,  as  has  already  been 
suggested,  that  unless  we  confine  ourselves  to  designs 
of  the  nature  of  Celtic,  in  which  the  ;n././ is  entirely 
that  of  line,  it  will  be  impossible  to  arrange  our  leading 
lines  without  some  consideration,  however  vague,  of 
mass.    Our  modern  designs  are  based  very  largely  upon 
natural  forms,  and  in  nature  the  two  ideas  of     mass 
and  "line"  are  always  found    together;    any  design, 
therefore,   which  is  true  to   nature   should  take  into 
account  both  idea.     It  should,  however,  be  evident 
as  we  have    already  said,   from    which    Pos-Uon  the 
design  was  conceived   and  thought  out.      Therefore, 
although  we  must  consider  to  some  extent  what  masses 
II  intend  using-their  size  and  character-the  design 
in  this  case  must  be  approached  from  the  point  of  view 
of  arrangement  of  leading  lines. 

In  planning  the  panel,  its  ultimate  position  will 
decide  the  character  of  the  planning.  We  will  con- 
sider that  it  is  to  be  used  as  an  independent  panel, 
that  is,  it  does  not  share  with  other  panels  or  members 
in  the  entire  scheme,  but  is  the  entire  schenrie  in  itse  . 
We  can  then  treat  it  in  various  ways  In  the  first 
place,  we  can  arrange  the  leading  lines  over  the 
whole    of    the  space  without   reference  to  any    cen- 


E:7S£mm-wm<\''^^i^^'*.ML,^ 


ROUisDED  FORMS  OR  CARVING  PROPER  165 

ter  line  or  lines,  as  shown  in  the  first  set  of  sketches 
in  Fig.  98. 

In  this  case,  care  should  be  exercised  in  arranging 
the  lines,  because  of  the  absence  of  an  obviously 
symmetrical  arrangement,  and  the  tendency  which 
naturally  would  follow  this  of  falling  into  an  arrange- 
ment that  is  deficient  in  order,  and  the  difficulty  of 
fretting  the  design  well  balanced  and  well  propor- 
tioned. It  may  be  noted  that  designs  built  upon  this 
arrangement  are 
more  suited  to 
schemes  which 
necessitate  the 
panels  being 
pairs,  and  in 
which,  there- 
fore, an  equal 
balance  can  be 
maintained 
more  naturally 
and  easily.  This 
a  r  r  a  n  ^^  e  ni  c  n  t 
can  be  used  as 
a  single  panel, 
without  another 

with  the  same  design  reversed,  when  it  is,  for  example, 
used  as  an  end  door  of  a  sideboard,  as  in  sketch,  Fig. 
100.  In  this  case  the  drawers  help,  in  a  partial  manner, 
to  form  the  necessary  balance  required;  it  is  more  suit- 
able used  in  this  way  than  as  a  single  panel  forming  a 
complete,  scheme.  Take  precautions  to  ensure  the 
proper  filling  out  of  the  corners  in  accordance  with 
the  principle  of  even  disti-ibution.  It  will  be  noticed 
throughout  these  sketches  that  both  mass  and  line  have 


Fig.  100. 


1  iA;.,.i"i 


-.   .;*.?r;S. 


*^ 


rsRVSik^i'iis^t'ii. 


i66 


PRACTICAL  WOOD  CARVING 


been  considered  in  planning;  but  it  will  also  be  noticed 
that  line  has  Ijeen  the  chief  consideration,  and  is  well 
evident  even  in  the  finished  sketi  h. 

In  the  second  set  of  sketches,  Fijf.  r  th«'  arrange- 
ment is  that  ot  a  desif/n  ouilt  upon  two  central  lines, 
one  horizontal,  one  vertical;  in  this,  as  is  obvious,  the 
whole  of  the  design  is  contained  in  one  quarter, 
being  repeated  and  reversed  to  make  the  full  design. 

Although  this  arrangement  may  appear  to  be  com- 
paratively easy,  because  of  the  smaller  space,  and 
consequently  fewer  el<  ments  and  a  corresponding 
simplicity  of  plan,  yet  it  is,  perhaps,  mor>-  difficult 
than  the  two  preceding  methods;  at  any  rate,  it  is 
more  difficult  than  the  third  method.  This  is  so 
because  ol  the  fact  that  in  arranging  and  considering 
only  a  quarter  of  the  design,  the  appearance  of  the 
plan  as  a  whole  is  not  at  once  ai)parent,  and  it  some- 
times happens  that  what  app-ared  to  be  suitable  in  the 
quarter  drsign,  is  ill-balanced  and  badly  arranged 
when  the  quarters  are  joined  into  the  complete  whole. 
It  is,  therefore,  a  better  plan  to  consider  the  whole 
space  rather  than  a  quarter  of  it,  and  fill  in,  roughly 
perhaps,  the  leading  lines  in  all  four  portions.  This 
method  will  at  least  ensure  their  symmetrical  and 
proportionate  arrangement,  and  this  is  the  principal 
consideration;  the  details  can  be  filled  in  pretty  easily. 

Let  me  here  emphasize  the  necessity  of  building 
designs  upon  a  certain  definite,  organized  plan;  a  plan 
which  is  strong,  without  being  clumsy;  vigorous  with- 
out being  ungraceful.  To  do  this  think  out  the  lead- 
ing lines  with  care;  take  time  to  consider  their  arrange- 
ment; do  not  unduly  hurry  that  part  of  the  process, 
and  spend  all  the  time  in  filling  in  detail  work;  a  good, 
well  arranged  set    of    leading    lines    is    much    more 


ROUNDED   FO.  MS  <  )R  CARVIN(i   PROl'Kk  iS; 

important  than  the  most  <  xquisitc  detail  that  could  br 
introduced. 

It  should  be  particularly  noted  that  the  siudeu.'  must 
familiarize  lijniself  with  the  leading  principles  trcnt'd 
of  in  prcx  ious  parts  especially  (I  -se  of  Kvcn  Distribu- 
tion, Urtl  r  and  Symmetry  The  consideration  of 
these  is  especiallv  applicabl.-  {<■,  the  arrauL'inc  o'f  the 
It.  ading  lines. 

When  these  are  salisfartorily  plan  led,  and  the 
m.isscb  suitably  placet!  and  decided  upon,  the  U'tail 
can  be  filled  iu  and  its  t-rneral  disposal  arran^^c-d. 

F  r  alfhoUfrh   wc   ppt   in   the   leading  .ine^  first,  yet 
w^  h.4V;  I  hI  sou  j  id.:.,  as  to  what  the  detail  would  be 
like,  and  ,"s  to  wh-n   it  should  be  placed,  and  how;  as, 
for   instani    .  some  of  the  lines  w   have   inunded  to 
indicate  the  ultimate  position  of  stalks,  other  lines  the 
place  of  folia^if  and  so  forth.     A  certain  general  idea 
should  be  conceivol  as  to  what  the   full  design  should 
bebei.re   it  i     planned  on   pap.-r.     If  this  is  not  so, 
the   desijrnwili    in   all   probability  be  p.      '       ..-chan- 
ical.      'r    must   be  pointed  out  that  all  . :  .angements 
described   in  articles  as  to  how  to  make  designs,  and 
all   methods    formulated,   are  aids  only;    (he  student 
must  dev   loj)  his  own  powers  of  conception  by  obser- 
vation,  practice    and    experiments;    these    rules   and 
principles  here  laid  down  and    described  are  for  his 
guidance  only;  they  show  the   manner  of  any  experi- 
ment, the  way  to  practice,  and  to  mould  his  concep- 
tions,   so   that   they  may  be   in   accordance  with   the 
governing  principles  of  design,   and   thereby  express 
them  in  the  best  manner. 

The  mode  of  procedure  with  regard  to  the  arrange- 
ment of  "line"  designs,  is  somewhat  similar  to  that  of 
"mass."     It  can  be  summed  up  as  follows: 


tAmstii^ 


i68 


PRACTICAL  WOOD  CARVING 


1.  Decide  upon  the  style  and  the  elements  to  be 
adopted  and  used,  havinjj  regard  to  the  requirements 
of  the  space  to  be  ornamented. 

2.  Decide  upon  the  general  arrangement  of  the 
design,  such  as  whether  it  is  to  be  a  whole  design  or 
arranged  upon  a  central  line  or  lines, 

3.  Plan  the  space  by  means  of  leading  lines, 
arranged  upon  a  symmetrical  and  proportionate  basis, 
and  arrange  what  masses  are  to  be  used. 

4.  Build  upon  these  leading  lines  the  foliage  and 
fruit  or  other  elements  decided  upon.  These  lines 
may  be  entirely  covered,  but  their  existence  will  be 
evident,  and  should  be,  to  save  the  design  from  appear- 
ing to  be  built  u^on  an  unarranged  and  indefinite  plan. 

Here  we  offer  various  designs  the  intention  of  which 
is  to  show  how  the  prmciples  of  design  may  be  applied. 
It  may  be  said  at  once  that  there  is  no  rigid,  unalter- 
able rule  about  the  application  of  these  principles.  If 
that  were  so.  all  designs  would  bear  a  certain  similarity 
that  would  indicate  lack  of  originality.  Originality 
or  freshness  of  conception  is  only  kept  alive  by  inter- 
preting the  meaning  and  message  of  the  elements  from 
a  separate  individual  standpoint.  To  do  this  suc- 
cessfully, we  must  not  be  bound  too  much  by  hard 
and  fast  rules. 

It  must  be  understood,  then,  that  whilst  the  observ- 
ance of  these  principles  is  essential  to  the  production 
of  good  design,  yet  in  their  observance  sufficient 
latitude  is  allowed  for  any  number  of  designers  to  place 
their  separate  interpretation  upon  the  elements  and 
their  arrangements  to  ensure  designs  that  are  quite 
different  in  meaning,  character  and  treatment, 
although  based  upon  the  same  mod/and  governed  by 
the  same  principles. 


-vsrrrrss'mrTrm 


■9 


mm.. 


ROUNDED   FORMS  OR  CARVING  PROPER  169 

A  few  words  as  to  the  choice  of  elements  may  be 
given  here.  As  we  have  seen  in  previous  pages,  the 
elements  are  grouped  under  six  heads;  and  as  under 
each  head  we  can  find  many  varying  forms,  it  would 
seem  a  rather  difficult  task  to  exercise  a  choice  that 
would  prove  satisfactory.  Personally,  I  have  always 
found  artificial  foliage  and  forms  to  be  the  easiest 
elements  to  use  in  forming  designs;  there  is  a  direct- 
ness about  them,  an  appearance  that  suggests  the 
"manufactured  article,"  that  makes  them  easier  to  put 
into  shape  for  wood  carving  purposes  than  using  purely 
natural  forms.  The  explanation  is  that  these  artificial 
forms  have  undergone  a  process  of  conventionalization 
at  the  hands  of  other  artists,  and  have  been  handed 
down  to  us  quite  ready  for  immediate  use.  But  this 
is  scarcely  satisfactory  to  those  whose  ambitions  soar 
high,  as  should  the  ambitions  of  all  designers.  It 
would  seem  to  be  much  more  creditable  to  take  our 
elements  direct  from  nature,  put  our  own  construction 
upon  them  by  altering  them  for  use  in  accordance  with 
our  own  artistic  ideas  and  then  build  them  up  into 
designs. 

This  procedure  would,  therefore,  exclude  from  our 
use  artificial  objects  and  foliage;  and  as  animals  and 
the  human  figure  should  be  only  sparingly  used,  the 
chief  mass  of  elements  would  be  drawn,  therefore, 
from  natural  foliage  and  geometrical  forms. 

In  drawing  upon  natural  forms  it  is  advisable  to 
choose  large  fruit,  such  as  applc-s,  pears,  oranges, 
lemons  and  pomegranates;  small  fruit,  such  as  black- 
btiries,  mountain  ash,  corn,  etc.,  is  extremely  difficult 
of  expression  in  wood.  Likewise,  the  larger  flowers, 
or  rather  those  with  suitable  petals,  such  as  the  rose, 
lily,  daffodil,  primrose,  tulip— to  mention  a  few — are 


r^IP'WB'^^rff^i^^ 


170 


PRACTICAL  WOOD  CARVING 


more  suitable  for  carving  in  wood  than  those  with 
smaller  or  a  more  complex  arrangement  of  petals. 
Remember  that  quite  as  truly  great  effects  are  obtained 
by  the  use  of  simple  forms  as  by  the  introduction  of 
very  highly  cultured  and  complex  elements. 

With  regard  to  leaves,  choose  those  whose  shape 
and  size  will  most  readily  lend  themselves  to  the 
expression  in  wood  of  some  principle  of  strength,  or 
vigoi",  grace,  or  delicacy. 

What  is  required  is  to  take  what  appears  to  be  the 
principal  characteristic  of  the  leaf,  flower  or  fruit, 
and  emphasize  it  by  making  it  conform  with  our  ideas 
of  the  principles  of  regularity,  symmetry,  rhythm  and 
order. 

Thus  the  thistle  would  be  used  to  give  expression 
to  vigor,  ruggedness  and  severity.  The  acanthus  has 
been  employed  in  all  ages  in  giving  expression  to 
ideas  of  beauty,  proportion  and  grace.  The  straight 
stalk,  full  sturdy  flower  and  short  twisting  leaf  of  the 
tulip  suggest  strength  and  self-reliance.  The  oak, 
again,  is  expressive  of  strength,  and  can  be  used  as  its 
indicating  symbol. 

Certain  foliage  has  been  associated  with  particular 
ideas,  and  has  been  adopted  because  it  visibly  repre- 
sents these  ideas.  Such  symbolism  has  provided  a 
fruitful  source  of  supply  for  designing  purposes. 

The  olive,  for  instance,  is  the  symbol  of  peace,  and 
is  often  used  in  the  form  of  wreaths.  The  laurel  has 
been  used  as  the  symbol  both  of  atonement  and  of 
glory;  the  vine,  too,  will  readily  occur  as  being  used 
for  symbolical  reasons.  The  Egyptians  used  the  lotus 
as  the  symbol  of  immortality.  Ivy,  again,  is  used  as 
being  symbolical  of  friendship. 

Throughout  the  choice  of  all  elements,  the  absolute 


■\iii^,  sxi,fK.^^ii'  y^^'r:i:?r?f:^ui*^s;:sjsa^i^ii'aisiiasx,ma^-M..  famoiBamaaaBsidffiiss^i^si^sfsmmsBwxtsu^ 


ROUNDED   FORMS  OR  CARVING  PROPER  171 

suitability  of  the  particular  element  cliosen  for  expression 
in  wood  should  be  the  designer's  first  care.  It  is  of 
no  use  employing  elements  in  building  up  designs 
that  are  not  capable  of  being  expressed  by  tJu  cut  oftlie  tool, 
or  that  have  no  relation  to  it.  Take  a  gouge  and  with 
it  make  a  single  cut  in  a  piece  of  wood,  then  make  a 
series  of  such  cuts,  employing  tools  of  varying  shapes 
and  sizes,  and  make  them  an  object  of  study.  If  an 
intelligent  use  be  made  of  the  results  of  such  study, 
the  designer  will  be  able  to  use  elements  and  make 
designs  that  have  a  distinct  and  definite  relation  to 
these  cuts. 

Some  designs  are  conceived  which  are  much  more 
suitable  for  expression  in  other  material  than  wood, 
and  to  secure  the  desired  result  the  tools  have  to 
execute,  literally,  a  series  of  very  surprising  gym- 
nastics, so  unsuited  is  the  design  to  the  wood. 

One  point  which  beginners  in  design  should  particu- 
larly note  is  that  the  principles  of  strength  and  vigor 
should  be  well  in  evidence.  These  principles  are  well 
marked  in  Egyptian  ornament,  so  much  so  that  they 
give  to  the  whole  ornament  of  this  style  a  severity 
that  is  very  characteristic.  Gothic  ornament  may  also 
be  instanced  as  giving  full  expression  to  these 
principles  or  ideas;  and  the  student  is  advised  to 
study,  wherever  possible,  any  work  of  these  periods  he 
may  happen  to  come  across,  either  actual  examples, 
or  drawings,  or  photograph;  and  if  the  study  is  carried 
out  intelligently,  he  will  begin  to  understand  and 
appreciate  to  its  full  extent  the  reason  that  exists  for 
strength  and  vigor  being  considered  as  primary 
necessities. 

It  may  be  asked  what  is  meant  when  we  speak  of 
these  principles.     They  really  mean  this,  that  designs 


172  PRACTICAL  WOOD  CARVING 

should  be  built  or  constructed  upon  somewhat  similar 
lines  or  principles  to  those  employed  in  the  construc- 
tion of  buildings.  The  arrangement  of  the  design 
should  be  such  that  the  whole  of  the  parts  of  which  it 
is  built  should  appear  to  be  upholding  one  another 
and  should  suggest  a  feeling  of  there  being  in  the 
arrangement  a  reserve  of  strength.  The  main  lines, 
for  instance,  should  be  capable  of  sustaining  the  weight 
of  any  element,  or  group  of  elements,  that  may  be 
built  upon  them.  All  stalks  should  have  a  free,  natural 
curve  that  would  suggest  a  capacity  for  holding  with- 
out any  undue  strain  the  fruit  or  flower  they  carry. 
The  fruit  and  flowers  should  be  arranged  so  that  they 
do  not  violate  any  natural  instinct,  so  that  they  appear 
to  be  easily  carried  by  the  stalk. 

In  the  construction  of  furniture  it  is  a  primary 
principle  that  all  weight  and  strain  should  be  conducted 
to  a  limited  number  of  points  arranged  at  suitable 
places,  so  that  the  weights  and  strains  should,  as  far 
as  possible,  counteract  one  another  and  so  assist  in 
strengthening  the  whole  construction.  In  similar 
manner  should  designs  be  arranged,  so  that  the  ele- 
ments, or  groups  of  elements,  used  may  be  so  placed 
that  their  weight  appears  to  be  easily  carried  by  the 
elements  used  as  their  supports. 

In  the  designs  illustrated.  Fig.  loi  shows  a  design 
intended  as  a  panel  for  a  small  pulpit.  It  is  based 
upon  the  oak,  and  shows  both  the  leaves  and  acorns; 
it  IS  not  intended  to  have  much  surface  work  in  model- 
ing the  leaves,  the  elements  or  individual  parts  being 
enough  cut  up  by  the  broken  outline;  this  makes  it 
possible  to  treat  the  surface  quite  simply.  This  may 
be  taken  note  of,  that  if  the  outline  of  any  member  be 
much  indented  or  broken,  as  in  this  example,  the  sur- 


^l^>SFS 


ROUNDED  FORMS  OR  CARVING  PROPER  173 

face  work  may  be  quite  slight  and  can  present  a  fairly 
smooth  surface.  If,  on  Ihe  other  hand,  the  outline  is 
fairly  continuous,  as  in  most  parts  of  Fig.  103,  then  the 


Pio.  101. 


MMMifHtii 


-"^'^■^ 


174 


PRACTICAL  WOOD  CARVING 


surface  may  be  cut  up  in  inverse  ratio;  this,  be  it  un- 
derstood, is  a  general  rule  only  and  is  not  invariably 
applicable  to  all  cases. 

Fig  102  shows  a  design  based  on  the  tulip,  arranged 
somewhat  in  modern  style.  It  suggests  how  an 
irregularly  shaped  space  may  be  filled.  In  this  case 
the  shape  of  the  space  partly  suggests  the  general 
arrangement  of  the  design.  Many  designs  of  this  kind 
are  s  .  grotesquely  arranged  as  to  be  quite  devoid  of 


Fig.  I02. 

strength.  This  is  so  with  many  designs  sent  over 
from  Europe,  the  sole  aim  of  which  appears  to  have 
been  to  introduce  as  many  fantastic  and  grotesque 
curves  and  corners  in  the  design  as  possible. 
Restraint  has  been  insisted  upon  in  previous  chapters, 
but  it  may  again  be  referred  to  here  as  being  abso- 
lutely necessary  to  good  design.  Without  its  influence 
our  work  can  easily  degenerate  into  mere  extravagant 
absurdity. 


wss^s^sa 


ROUNDED   FORMS  OR  CARVING  PROPER  175 

Fig,  103  shows  an  arrangement  of  shamrock  leaves, 
used  partly  because  of  their  natural  beauty  and  partly 
because  of  their  national  significance.  The  arrange- 
ment of  the  stalks  may 
be  pointed  out  in  this 
design.  They  are  all 
there  for  a  definite  pur- 
pose, and  not  one  is 
introduced  without  ful- 
filling some  useful  end. 
It  is  sometimes  a  great 
temptation  to  the  be- 
ginner to  fill  up  a  space 
with  an  element  that 
does  not  bear  a  reason- 
able relation  to  the  rest 
of  the  design.  It  is 
merely  used  to  "fill 
up."  This  should  be 
guarded  against. 

Fig.  104  gives  a  pho- 
tograph of  a  design 
which  has  been  carved. 
The  reason  it  is  given 
is  to  point  out  two  de- 
fects which  should  be 
avoided. 

The  first  and  most 
important  defect  is 
that  the  whole  of   the 


Fig.    103. 


foliage,  forming  nearly  the  whole  of  each  (juarter, 
is  borne  upon  a  very  inadequate  support,  giving 
the  impression  of  weakness'  and  insecurity.  There 
should  have   been    some  other   arrangement  v  hereby 


176  PRACTICAL  WOOD  CARVING 


Fig.   104. 


ROUNDKD   FORMS  OR  CARVING   PROPER  177 

the  foliage    in  question  should  h 
and    more  substantial 


in    the    radiation:    th 


ave  had  a  stronger 
support.  Another  defect  is 
<-'  imperfect  nature  of  this  is 
evident  in  several  places,  anti  the  attention  of  the 
student  is  directed  to  this  point.  There  are  also  two 
elements  introduced    in   this  dcsij:n   t.iat  have  no  rela- 


tion to  the  rest  and  have  ob 
"f^ll 


vii.usly  been  introduced  (■, 


iin. 


Another  example  of  rounded  work  is  shown  in  P 


105,    but   which    is   onl\'  giv 


en    .IS  a    suggestion   for  a 
anietita! 


design   to  be   made   by  yourself.      It   i-  a  fund 
principle-  that  both  design  and  execution  should  be  the 

ame  person,  and  I  A-aiit  you  t) 
I   was    indeed 


work  of  one  and   the  s 


begin  by  strictly  practicing  this  rule.     I 

one  of  the  main   conditions  of  production    in  the  best 

times  of  the  past,  and  there  is  not 


that  it  must  as/a 


a  ahadow  oi  doubt 


Ml  come  to  be  the  i:niv'ersal  rule  if 


wood  carving, 


real  progress  is  to  be  made  in  th<-  art  uf 
or  in  any  other  art,  for  that  matte;.     Just  think  for 
moment  how  false  must  be  the  position  of  boih  i»art 
when   one   makes 


anv 


les 


ii'-'smii 


and 


out.     The  "desi- 


mother  carries   it 


:ner"  sets  his  head   to  work  (we  must 


not  count  his  hands  at  p'resent,  a'<  they 


the  result  in  a  kinii  of  uriiing),  a  "d 
and   handed   o\er  to   th 


(Miiy  note  down 
esign"  IS  produced 


carver,  sets  his  hands  and  {•>•<■.-:  to  wi 
oJier  man's  idc-as,  or  at   lc,i?,i 


e  carver  to  execute.      He,  the 


to  rarr,'  ou 


t  th( 


the  same,  his  heatl  meanwhile  1 


further  than  transfer  tl 


interpret   his  notes  for 
laving  vtr\'  lilMe  to  do 


very  good    reasons  such 


le  said   notes  to  his  haiu 


bound   to  come    t< 


Por 

an    arrangeiiKMit   as    this    is 


grit 


f.      O 


in'    is. 


th.it 


no 


)iec( 


of 


carving  can  properly  be  s.u'd  to  be  "designed"  until  it 
is   finished    to   the   la.->t   stroke.     A  dr 
map  of  its    gene  al    outlire,    with 


uvini;    is  f)nlv  a 


perhaps     contours 


I 


I  i 


i 


178  I'RACllCAL  WOOD  CARVING 

appruximatcly  indicated    In'  shading.     In    any  case, 
even  if  a  full-size  model  were  supplied  bv  the  designer, 


Fui.  1 


ROUNDKD   FORMS  OR  CARVING   PROPER  179 

the  principle  involved  would  suffer  just  the  same  degree 
of  violence,  for  it  is  in  the  actual  carving  of  the  wood 
that  the  designer  should  find  both  his  inspiration  and 
the  discipline  which  keeps  it  within  reasonal^Ie  bounds.. 
He  must  be  at  full  liberty  to  alter  his  original  inten- 
tion as  the  work  develops  under  his  hand. 

Draw  and  trace  your  outline  in  the  same  manner  as 
before,  and  transfer  it  to  the  wood.  You  may  make 
it  any  convenient  size,  say  on  a  board  18  inches  long 
by  9  inches  wide,  or  what  other  shape  you  like,  pro- 
vided you  observe  one  or  two  conditions  which  I  am 
going  to  point  out.  It  shall  have  a  fair  amount  of 
background  between  the  features,  and  the  design, 
whatever  it  is,  shall  form  a  traceable  likeness  to  a 
pattern  of  some  description;  it  shall  have  a  rudi- 
mentary resemblance  to  nature,  without  going  into 
much  detail;  and  last,  it  shall  have  a  few  w/W^v/ 
forms  in  it,  rounded  both  in  outline  and  on  the  sur- 
face, as,  for  instance,  plums. 

In  setting  to  work  to  carve  this  exercise,  follow  the 
same  procedure  as  in  previous  ones  up  to  the  point 


Fig.  106. 

when  the  surface  decorations  began.  In  the  illustra- 
tion there  is  a  suggestion  for  a  variety  in  the  back- 
ground which  does  not  occur  in  the  other.  In  this 
case  the  little  branches  are  supposed  to  lie  along  the 
tops  of  gentle  elevations  and  the  plums  to  lie  in  the 
hollows.  It  produces  a  section  something  like  this, 
Fig.  106.  There  is  a  sufficient  excuse  for  this  kind  of 
treatment  in  the  fact  that  the  branches  do  not  require 
much  depth,  and  the  plums  will  look  all  tlie  better  for 


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i8o  PRACTICAL  WOOD  CARVING 

a  little  more.    The  depth  of  the  background  will  thus 
vary,  say  between  ^f  inch  at  the  branches  and  |  inch 
at  the  plums.     The  branches  are  supposed  to  be  per- 
fectly level  from  end  to  end,  that  is,  they  lie  parallel 
to  the  surface  of  the  wood,  but  of  course  curve  about 
in  the  other  direction.     The  h  aves,  on  the  other  hand, 
are  supposed  to  be    somewhat    rounded    and  falling 
away  towards  their  sides  and  points  in  places.    The 
vein  in  the  center  of  the  leaves  may  be  done  with  a 
parting  tool,  as  well  as  th  >  serrations  at  the  edge,  or 
the  latter  may  perhaps  be  more  surely  nicked  out  with 
a  chisel  after  the  leaves  have  received  their  shapes,  the 
leaves  being  made  to  appear  as  if  one  side  was  higher 
than  the  other  and  as  though  their  points,  in  some 
cases,  touched  the    background,   while  in  others  the 
oase  may  be  the  lowest  part.     The  twigs  coming  out 
from  the  branches  to    support    the  plums  should  be 
somewhat  like  this  in  section,  and  should  lie  along 
the  curve  of  the    background  and  be  in  themselves 
rounded,  as  in  Fig.  107;  see  section  aa.    The  bottom 


of  the  panel  shows  a  bevel  instead  of  a  hollow  border; 
this  will  serve  to  distinguish  it  as  a  starting  point  for 
the  little  branches  which  appear  to  emerge  from  it  like 
trees  out  of  the  ground.  The  plums  should  be  carved 
by  first  cutting  them  down  in  outline  to  the  back- 
ground, as  A,  Fig.  108.  Then  the  wood  should  be 
removed  from  the  edge  all  round,  to  form  the  rounded 
surface.  To  do  this,  first  take  the  large  gouge  and 
with  its  hollow  side  to  the  wood  cut  off  the  top,  from 


ROUNDED  FORMS  OR  CARVING  PROPER  i8i 


<i  .  »  -H^  ^^'^ 


Fig.  io8. 


about  its  middle  to  one  end,  and  reversing  the  process 

do  the  same  with  the  other  side.     Then  it  will  appear 

someth  i  ng 

like  B,    rig.  ^ 

io8.    The  re- 

maindermust 

be  shaped 

with  any  tool 

which  will  do 

it  best.  There 

is  no  royal  road  to  the  production  of  these  rounded 

forms,  but  probably  gouge  No.   i   will  do  the  most 

of  it. 

Here  it  may  be  observed  that  the  fewer  tools  used 
the  better,  as  if  many  are  used  there  is  always  a  risk 
of  unpleasant  facets  at  the  places  where  the  various 
marks  join  each  other.  Before  you  try  the  plums,  or 
apples,  or  other  rounded  fruit  which  you  may  have  in 
your  design,  it  would  be  as  well  to  experiment  with 
one  on  a  piece  of  spare  wood,  in  order  tr  decide  upon 
the  most  suitable  tools.  The  stems  or  branches  may 
be  done  with  flat  gouge  No.  i,  or  the  flat  or  corner 
chisel.  A  very  delicate  twist  or  spiral  tendency  in 
their  upward  growth  will  greatly  improve  their  appear- 
ance; a  mere  faceting  produced  by  a  flat  gouge  or 
chisel  will  do  this;  anything  is  better  than  a  mere 
round  and  bare  surface,  which  has  a  tendency  to  look 
doughy.  The  little  circular  mark  on  the  end  of  the 
plum  (call  it  a  plum,  although  that  fruit  has  no  such 
thing)  is  done  by  pressing  No.  7  into  the  wood  first, 
with  the  handle  rather  near  the  surface  of  the  wood, 
and  afterwards  at  a  higher  inclination,  this  taking  out 
a  tiny  chip  of  a  circular  shape  and  leaving  a  V-shaped 
groove. 


182  PRACTICAL  WOOD  CARVING 

The  number  of  tools  referred  to  in  the  foregoing  are 
those  numbered  and  shown  as  Figs.  37  and  38. 


Fig.  109. 


ROUNDED   roRMS  OR  CARVING   PROPER  183 


From  a  comparison  of  the 
Byz:  "inc  capital,  V\^.  109, 
with  the  treatment  shown  in 
Fig.  no,  it  will  be  seen  how 
an  increasing  desire  for  imi- 
tative resemblance  takes  the 
place  of  a  patterned  founda- 
tion, and  how,  in  conse- 
quence, the  background  is 
no  longer  discernible  as  a 
contrasting  form.  P'ig.  no 
is,  of  course,  little  more  than 
a  pattern  with  sunk  holes  for 
a  background,  and  it  is  in 
marble;  but  those  holes  are 
arranged  in  a  distinct  and 
orderly  fashion.  The  other 
is  a  highly  realistic  treatment 
of  foliage,  the  likeness  to 
nature  being  so  fully  devel- 
oped that  some  of  these 
groups  have  veins  on  the 
dace's  of  the  leaves.  The 
question  for  the  moment  is 
this,  which  of  the  two  ex- 
tremes gives  the  clearest  ac- 
count of  itself  at  a  distance? 
We  think  there  can  be  little 
doubt  that  the  more  formal 
arrangement  bears  tiiis  test 
better  than  the  other,  and 
this,  too,  in  face  of  the  fact 
that   it    has    cost  much   less 


labor  to  produce.   Remember 


.A.-..  "'Miifr'*^"" 


1 84 


PRACTICAL  WOOD  CARVING 


we  are  only  now  considering  the  question  of  visibility  in 
the  design.  You  may  like  the  undefined  and  suggestive 
masses    into  which   the   leaves   and    shadows    of   the 

Gothic  one  group  them- 


selves better  than  the  un- 
bending severity  of  the 
lines  in  the  other,  but 
that  is  not  the  point  at 
present.  You  cannot  see 
the  actual  work  which 
produced  that  mystery, 
and  we  may  point  out  to 
y  '  that  what  is  here 
■  ..i.intic  and  pleasing,  on 
account  of  its  changeful 
and  infor.r.al  shadows,  is 
on  the  verge  of  becoming 
\  mere  bewildering  confu- 
;  sion;  a  tendency  which 
',  always  accompanies  at- 
tempts to  imitate  the  ac- 
cidental or  informal 
grouping  of  leaves  so 
common  to  their  natural 
state.  The  further  this  is 
''If  carried  the  less  is  it  po.s- 
sible  to  govern  the  forms 
of  ihe  background  pat- 
tern; they  become  less 
discernible  as  contrasting 
forms,  althou?;u  they  may 
be  very  interesting  as  ele- 
ments of  mystery  and 
suggestive  of  things  not 


mw///;>pmm,^//^7mm//r^ 

FuJ.   III. 


^xswK:-^,z:^iii^^m^i^m^!m^-     ^ 


ROUNDED   FORMS  OR  CARVING   PROPER  185 

actually  seen.  The  consequence  is  a  loss  of  power 
in  producing  that  instintaneous  impression  of  harmony 
which  is  one  of  the  secrets  of  effectiveness  in  carving. 
This  is  greatly  owing  to  tne  constant  change  of  plane 
demanded  by  an  in^itative  treatment,  as  well  as  the 
want  of  formality  in  its  background.  The  lack  of 
restful  monotony  in  this  r-  sped  creates  confusion  in 
the  lights,  making  a  closer  inspection  necessary  in 
order  to  discern  the  beauty  of  the  work.  Now  the 
hi'nan  imagination  loves  surprises  and  never  wholly 
forgives  the  artist  who,  failing  to  administer  a  pleasant 
shock,  invites  it  to  come  forward  and  examine  the 
details  of  his  work  in  order  to  see  how  well  they  are 
executed. 

These  examples,  you  will  say,  are  from  architectural 
details  whicn  have  nothing  to  do  with  wood  carving. 
On  the  contrary,  the  same  laws  govern  all  manner  of 
sculpturesque  composition — scale  or  material  making 
no  difference  whatever.  A  sculptured  marble  frie/e  or 
a  carved  ivory  snuffbox  may  be  equally  censurable  as 
being  either  so  bare  that  they  verge  on  baldness  and 
want  of  interest,  or  so  elaborate  that  they  look  like 
layers  of  fungus. 

Do  not  imagine  that  we  are  urging  any  preference 
for  a  Byzantine  treatment  in  your  work;  to  do  so  would 
be  as  foolish  as  to  ask  you  to  don  medi.eval  costume 
while  at  work,  or  assume  the  speech  and  manners  of 
the  tenth  century.  It  would  be  just  as  ridiculous  on 
your  part  to  affect  a  bias  which  was  not  natural  to  you. 
We  are,  however,  strongly  convinced  that  in  the  choice 
of  natural  forms  and  their  arrangement  into  orderly 
masses  (more  particularly  with  regard  to  their  appear- 
ance in  silhouette  against  the  ground),  and  also  in  the 
matter  of  an  economical  use  of  detail,  we  have  much 


'  ^.''*ii^9rim?jf'immtmr%'mi^«iS'£i^mim3^if^ai^ms^&^^^. 


i86 


PRACTICAL  WOOD  CARVING 


to  learn  from  the  carvers  who  preceded  the  fourteenth 
century.  They  thoroughly  understood  and  appreciated 
the  value  of  the  light  which  fell  upon  their  work,  and 
in  designing  it  arranged  every  detail  with  the  object 
of  reflecting  as  much  of  it  as  possible.  To  this  end, 
their  work  was  always  calculated  for  its  best  effects  to 
be  seen  at  a  fairly  distant  point  of  view;  and  to  make 
sure  that  it  would  be  both  visible  and  coherent,  seen 
from  that  point,  they  insisted  upon  some  easily  under- 
stood pattern  which  gave  the  key  to  the  whole  at  a 
glance.  To  make  a  pattern  of  this  kind  is  not  such  an 
easy  matter  as  it  looks.  The  forms  of  the  background 
spaces  are  the  complementary  parts  of  the  design,  and 
are  just  as  important  as  those  of  the  solid  portions;  it 
takes  them  both  to  make  a  good  design. 

Now  we  believe  you  must  have  had  enough  of  this 
subject  ior  the  present,  more  espf^rJally  as  you  have 
not  yet  begun  to  feel  the  extraoic  nary  difficulty  of 
making  up  your  mind  as  to  what  is  i.ad  what  is  not  ."it 
for  the  carver's  uses  amongst  the  boundless  examples 
of  beauty  spread  out  for  our  choice  by  Dame  Nature. 

Meantime  we  do  not  want  you  to  run  away  with  the 
impression  that,  when  you  have  mastered  the  principles 
of  economy  in  detail  and  an  orderly  disposition  of 
background,  you  have  therefore  learned  all  that  is 
necessary  in  order  to  go  on  turning  out  design  after 
design  with  the  ease  of  a  cook  making  pancakes 
according  to  a  recipe.  You  will  find  by  experience 
that  all  such  principles  are  good  for  is  to  enforce 
clearness  of  utterance,  so  to  speak,  and  to  remind  you 
that  it  is  light  you  are  dealing  with  and  upon  which 
you  must  depend  for  all  effects;  also  that  the  power  of 
vision  is  limited.  Acting  upon  them  is  quite  another 
matter,  and  one,  we  are  afraid,  in  which  no  one  can 


ROUNDED   FORMS  OR  CARVING   PROPER  187 

help  you  much.  You  may  be  counseled  as  to  the  best 
and  most  practical  mode  of  expressing  your  ideas,  but 
those  thoughts  and  inventions  must  come  from  your- 
self if  they  are  to  be  worth  having. 

We  illustrate  herewith  two  fragments  of  a  kind  of 
running  ornament.  Fig.  in  is  a  part  of  the  jamb 
moulding  of  a  church  in  Vicenza.  If  you  observe 
carefully  you  will  find  that  it  has  a  decidedly  classical 
appearance.  The  truth  is  that  it  was  carved  by  a 
Gothic  artist  late  in  tli<  fourteenth  century,  just  after 
the  Renaissance  influence  began  to  make  itself  felt. 
It  is  an  adaptation  by  him  of  what  he  remembered 
having  seen  in  his  travels  of  the  new  style,  grafted 
upon  the  traditional  treatment  ready  to  his  hand.  It 
suits  our  purpose  all  the  better  on  that  account,  for 
the  reason  that  we  are  going  to  re-adapt  his  design  to 
an  exercise  and  shall  attempt  to  make  it  suitable  to 
our  imiited  ability  in  handling  the  tools,  to  the  change 
in  material  from  stone  to  wood,  and  lastly,  to  our 
different  aim  and  motives  in  the  treatment  of  archi- 
tectural ornament.  Now  do  all  this  for  yourself  in 
another  design,  and  look  upon  this  suggestion  merely 
in  the  light  of  helping  a  lame  dog  over  a  stile. 

In  this  exercise.  Fig.  112,  you  will  repeat  all  you 
have  already  done  with  the  others,  until  you  come  to 
the  shaping  of  the  leaves,  in  which  an  undulating  or 
up  and  down  motion  has  been  attempted.  This 
involves  a  kind  of  double  drawing  in  the  curves,  one 
foi  .he  flat  and  one  for  the  projections;  so  that  they 
may  appear  to  glide  evenly  from  one  point  to  the 
other,  sweeping  up  and  down,  right  and  left,  without 
losing  their  true  contours.  Carvers  call  this  process 
"throwing  about,"  i.e.,  making  the  leaves,  etc.,  appear 
to  rise  from  the  background  and  again  fall  towards  it 


■Y^ru:'!^- *«ffliHiw«»#s?^  -  ^-vsrsr-^'j^^-^TV'Sv'  y^  ■:ym-<v3-'^ 


188 


I'RACTICAL  WOOD  CARVING 


in  all  directions.  Thr  phrase  is  a  v  ly  meager  one 
and  but  poorly  expresses  the  necessity  for  intimate 
jyn>pathy  between  each  su.face  so  "thrown  about." 

It  is  precisely  in  th" 
observance  of  this  last 
quality  that  effects  of 
richness  are  produced. 
You  can  hardly  have 
too  much  monotony  of 
surface,  but  may  easily 
err  by  having  too  much 
variety.  Therefore, 
whatever  system  of  light 
and  shade  you  may 
adopt,  be  careful  to  re- 
peat its  motive  in  some 
sort  of  rhythmic  ordei 
all  over  your  work;  by 
no  other  means  can  you 
make  it  rich  and  effec- 
tive at  a  distance. 

It  is  well  every  nov 
and  then  to  put  your 
work  up  on  a  shelf  or 
ledge  at  a  distance  and 
view  it  as  a  whole;  you 
will  see  which  parts  tell 
and  which  do  not,  and 
so  gain  exper-ence  on 
this  point.  Work  should 
also  be  turned  about 
frequently,  sidewise  and 
upside  down,  in  order 
Fig.  112.  to   fii^d   h<>w   the   lifh'; 


R(     NDKI)   KORMS  OR  CARVING   PROPER  i8g 

affects  it  in  different  directions.  Of  course  you  must 
not  think  that  because  your  work  may  happen  to  look 
well  wh<  n  seen  from  a  little  way  off,  it  does  not  matter 
about  the  details,  whether  they  be  well  or  poorly  carved. 
On  the  contrary,  unhss  you  satisfy  the  eye  at  both  points 
of  view,  your  work  is  a  partial  failure.     The  one  thin},'  is 

.  important  as  th-  other,  only  as  thi;  first  glance  at 
carved  work  is  {generally  taken  at  some  little  distance, 
it  is  the  more  immediately  necessary  to  think  of  that 
before  we  bef,'in  to  work  for  a  closer  inspection.  First 
impressions  are  generally  lasting  with  regard  fo  carved 
work,  ar  .,  as  we  have  said  before,  beauty  of  detail 
seldom  quite  atones  for  failure  in  the  arrangement  of 
masses. 

The  rounded  forms   in  this  tlesign  may  give  you  a 
little  trouble,  but  practice,  and  that  alone,  wilt  enable 
you  to  overcome    this.     Absolute  smoothness   is   not 
desirable.     Sandpapered  surfaces  are  e.\:remely  ugly, 
because  they  obtrude   themselves  on  account  of  their 
extreme  smoothness,   having  lost  all   signs  of  handi- 
work in   the  tool  marks.     Almost  every  beginner  has 
some  vague  impression  that  his  first  duty  should  be  to 
aim  at  originality.     He  hears  eulogiums  parsed  upon 
the  individuality  of  some  one  or  other,  and  tries  hard 
to  invent  new  forms  of  expression  or  peculiarities  of 
styli  ,   only  resultiu'     in  most  cases  in   new   forms  of 
ugliness,  which   it       cms  is  the  only  po  sibility  under 
such  coniscious  eff     ts  after  novelty.     The  fact  is  that 
it  takes  many  generations  of  ardent  minds  to  accom- 
plish what  at  first  each  thinks  himself  capable  of  doing 
alone.     True  originality  has  somewhat   the  quality  of 
go<    I  wii  »•,  which  becomes  more  delightful   as  time 
mel.ows  its  flavor  and   imparts  to  it  the  aroma  which 
ca     ,f    long    repute;     like    the    new    wine,    too, 


/■i^vrw 


igo 


PRAC  ;ICAL  WOOD  CA'  VING 


originality  should  chyly  hide  itself  in  dark  places  until 
maturity  warrants  its  appearance  in  the  light  of  day. 
That  kind  of  originality  which  is  strikingly  new  does 
not  always  stand  th'  test  of  time,  and  should  be 
regarded  with  cauti  ,s  skepticism  until  it  has  proved 
itself  to  be  more  t'  .\  the  passing  fashion  or  novelty 
of  a  season.  There  is  a  kind  of  sham  ar'  i-rv  ci)n- 
spicuous  at  the  present  date,  popularly  b.  i  .'d  to  be 
very  original.  It  seems  to  have  arisen  out  of  some 
>.  :h  impatient  craving  for  novelty,  and  it  has  been 
encouraged  by  an  easy-going  kind  of  suburban  refine- 
ment y/h'xch  neither  knows  nor  cares  very  much  what 
really  goes  to  the  making  of  a  work  of  art.  This  new 
art  has  filled  our  stores  and  e.xhibitions  with  an  inverte- 
brate kind  of  ornament  which  certainly  has  the  doubt- 
ful merit  of  "never  having  been  seen  before."  It  has 
evidently  taken  its  inspiration  from  the  trailing  and 
supine  forms  of  floating  seaweed,  and  revels  in  the 
e.xpression  o.'  -uch  bone  •'•^s  structure.  By  way  of 
variety  it  presents  us  w.  a  kind  o.'  symbolic  tree, 
remarkable  for  mor.'  thnn  archaic  flatness  and  rigidity. 
Now  this  kind  of  '  v.ri^inality"  is  not  only  absolutely 
valueless  .  't  <xce.  ingly  harmful;  its  only  merit  is 
that,  like  .  ideal  seaweed,  it  has  no  backbone  of  its 
own,  and  we  may  hope  that  it  will  soon  betake  itself 
to  its  natural  home — the  slimy  bottom  of  the  ocean  of 
oblivion. 

Meantime,  the  only  thinj  we  are  absolutely  sure  of 
in  connection  with  that  much  abused  word  "origi- 
nality" is  this,  that  no  gift,  original  or  otherwise,  can 
be  developed  without  steady  and  continuous  practice 
with  the  tools  of  your  craft. 

An  exceedingly  good  example  for  practice  is  the 
panel  shown  in  Fig.  113,  which  is  drcwn  on  a  larger 


"ft,T*^mv«f':' 


i^OUNDf-D   loRMS  UF<  CARVING   PROPER  19I 

scale  than   most  of  t     •  preceding  <  x.iinpl.s.     li  uill 
require   considerable  skill   to   dt*    ihis   pitc«    ul    .vork 


Fiu.  113. 


justice.  Some  very  careful  modeling  will  be  necessary, 
for  on  this,  rather  than  on  the  depth  of  the  work,  the 
beauty  of  the  design  will  depend.     The  leaves  must 


,92  PRACTICAL  WOOD  CARVING 

be  accurately  outlined  and  then  sharpness  emphasi/ed 
t;l^derc.tW       The   stern    shon^^^ 

ing  it  with  the  sharp  corner  of  a  chisel.     If  the  panel 
is  to  be  carved  in  J^        m 

a   small  size,  box 
or  some  other  fine 
wood     which    is 
capable  of   taking 
a   high    degree  of 
finish  will  be  very 
appropriate.  If  en- 
larged,  the  panel 
will    look    well    in 
oak. 

It    is    usual    to 
give   the    novice 
much  advice  as  to 
the  way  the  tools 
should     be     held, 
but  really  very  lit- 
tle that  is  likely  to 
help    him  can    be 
told.      The    most 
convenient  way  in 
which  to  do  so  can 
only  be  learnt  by 
practice,  for  the  movements  are  constantly  vary. ng^  As 
a  rule,  very  little  can  be  done  with  one  hand  only. 
Both  hands  must  hold  the  tool;  one,  the  r-ght    suppb'- 
ing  the  force,  the  other  being  mainly  used  to  guide 

and  restrain.  ,  •    _ 

Having  now  a  fair  idea  how  to  do  general  carving, 


Fig.   1I4. 


ROUNDED  FORMS  OR  CARVING  PROPER  193 

rounded  examples  requiring  somewhat  different  treat- 
ment and  more  experience  may  be  given,  merely 
remarking  that  the  object  of  the  accompanying  designs 
is  not  so  much  to  give  detailed  copies  as  to  guide  the 
novice. 

Fig.  114  represents  a  handle  for  a  paper-knife. 
Should  the  carver  spoil  it,  neither  the  time  nor  the 
outlay  is  sufficiently  serious  to  make  the  loss  of  any 
moment.  The  size  of  the  wood  required  is  13  inches 
long,  I  ?4  inches  wide  and  ?4  inch  thick.  The  effect 
is  extremely  good  carved  either  in  ebony,  sandalwood, 
or  box. 

Having  sawed  the  wood  to  the  required  size,  examine 
it  carefully  to  make  quite  sure  that  it  is  sound;  then, 
being  satisfied  on  that  point,  proceed  to  mark  the 
design  on  it  as  already  explained.  If  ebony  or  any 
dark  wood  be  used,  the  outline  is  not  easily  perceived, 
and  it  will  therefore  be  necessary  to  draw  the  design 
on  thinnish  paper,  and  gum  or  paste  this  upon  the 
wood  itself,  taking  care  that  every  part  of  the  paper 
adheres  thoroughly.  When  the  paper  and  wood  are 
both  quite  dry,  fix  the  wood  tightly  into  the  vise  and 
begin  to  work  on  the  blade  of  the  knife  with  a  spoke- 
shave.  It  must  be  scraped  down  gradually  and  circum- 
spectl}',  first  on  one  side  and  thtMi  on  the  other,  taking 
great  care  not  to  shave  it  away  too  much  in  one  place; 
the  edge  of  the  blade  should  run  in  a  perfectly  straight 
line  with  the  handle,  or  it  will  not  balance.  To  ensure 
this  it  is  well  to  mark  three  lines  down  the  edge  of  the 
blade  before  any  wood  is  shaved  off;  one  line  shouLl 
be  exactly  in  the  middle  to  represent  the  sharp  cutting 
edge  when  finished,  and  the  two  others  one  on  each 
side,  rather  less  than  an  eighth  of  an  inch  from  the 
Center  one;   then,  cither  witli   the  saw  or  the  spoke- 


104 


PRACTICAL  WOOD  CARVING 


t 


'I 


shavo,  cut  away  the  wood  clown  to  those  two  outer  lines 
and  rouijhly  shape  out  the  form  of  the  blade;   then 
leave  it  until  the  time  comes  for  finishin>r  it  off,  which 
will  be   when   the  handle   is  about  three  parts  done, 
when  a  rasp  or  coarse  file  may  be   used  to  Ret  it  into 
shape,      l-'iles  are  better  than  any  tools  for  the  purpose, 
as  with  them  the  blade  can  be  f,'radually  reduced  with- 
out fear  of  spoiliu},'  it  by  takint,'  off  too  much.     The 
ed^e  of  broken  glass  will  also  be  found  very  useful  for 
the  same  purpose.     The  blade  of  a  large  paper-knife, 
such  as  this,  ought,  when  finished,  to  be  one-third  of 
an  inch  in  thickness  in  the  thickeiit  part,  that  is,  where 
it  joins  the  handle;  from  there  it  should  slope  gradually 
and  easily  down  to  the  point  and  cutting  edges;  these 
latter   should  be   perfectly   free   from   notches   in   the 
wood,  or  unevenness  of  any  kind,  nor  should  they  be 
over  sharp  or  they  will  soon  split  and  break  off. 

So    to    return   to   the   handle,   which   has  been   left 
untouched,  saving  the  design  gummed  or  traced  upon 
it.     The  first  thing  required  is  to  cut  away  carefully  all 
the  waste  wood   in  between   the  coils  of  the  snake  on 
the  outside.     Make   the   identations  exactly  at   right 
angles  with  the  surface  of  the  design,  or  you  will  get 
into  trouble  when  carving  the  reverse  or  under-side. 
Having  done  this,   take   the  drill   and    make   one  or 
more  holes,  according  to  the  space,  in  each  part  which 
requires  perforation,  though  :f  preferred  this  part  of 
the  work  may  be  done  with  a  fret  saw.     Then,  with  a 
knife,  or  if  the  wood  be  fixed  in  a  vise,  with  a  chisel, 
trim  the  edges  away  nearly,  but  not  quite,  up  to  the 
inked  edge  of  the  design.     When  this  has  been  done 
roughly,  go  over  it  again,  marking  slightly  but  dis- 
tinctly where  the  different  parts  of  the  snake  cross  each 
other'     When   the  general   idea  and  shape  have  been 


ROUNDED  FORMS  OR  CARVING   PROPER  195 

thus  given,   examine  it  carefully  in  detail  and  ask, 
before  proceedinj,'  further,  such  questions  as,  "Is  this 
part  ri^ht?"     "Does  that  coil  lie  naturally?"     "Am  I 
leaving  too  much  here,   or    cutting  away  too  much 
there?"  and  so  forth;  do  not  dash  and  slash  at  it,  but 
think  in   this  manner  as  tlu;  work   proceeds,  and  work 
gradually  and  cautiously  uj)  to  the  desired   end.     A 
good  carver  is  always  thinking  in  this  manner,   and 
never  does  a  stroke  without  a  good  reason,  for  carving 
and  sculpture  are  not  like  painting  or  even  modeling, 
where  a  false  stroke  can  be  obliterated;  for,   a  little 
splinter  once  nicked  off,  the  snake  is  gone  for  good  and 
the  reptile  looks  wrong  and  woodeny  for  the  rest  of  its 
days.     Having  fashioned   it  carefully  but   roughly  in 
the  manner  descri  jed,   take  a    coarsish  file   over   it, 
guarding  particularly  against  cutting  away  too  much 
for  fear  of  making  it  look  attenuated,   remembering 
that  the  size  of  the  body  is  very  considerably  r-^duced 
by  cutting  and  marking  the  scales,  so  that  before  this 
process    is    commenced    it    should    look    unnaturally 
plump  and   fat;  and  also  bear  in  mind  that  in  life  the 
coils  of  the  snake  in  crossing  yield  equally  the  one  to 
the  other,  falling  together  and  flattening  each  other,  as 
it  were,  with  an  undulating  appearance,  and  not  crossed 
as  so  many  sticks.     Beginners  are  very  apt  to  fail  in 
this  point.     To  obtain  at  once  a  correct  idea,  which  is 
very  essential  for  the  execution  of  a  lifelike  car"iii,^. 
we  strongly  advise  the  carver  to  copy  from  life.     This 
rule  applies  always  when  carving  from  nature,  whether 
animate  or  inanimate,  but  is  especially  necessary  to 
observe    in    regard    to    the    former.     Five    minutes' 
examination  would  be  of  more  service  to  the  carver 
than  a  whole  chapter  of  descriptions  and  directions. 
When    the    form    has    been    cut   out   with    tolerable 


,96  PRACTICAL  WOOD  CARVING 

accuracy,  go  over  it   all   with   a   file  fine  enough  to 
rende    'the  surface  smooth,   but    not  polished.      Ihe 
scales  must  be  mark..-d  with  a  pencil  or  scratched  w.th 
a  fine  point,  an  inch  or  so  of  the  body  at  a  time  if  the 
pencil  be  used,  or  the  marks  will  rub  out.     tor  cutting 
them,  use  either  the  sharp  point  of  a  knife  or  gouges 
of  the  right  size.     From  the  size  and  form  of  the  scales 
'arying  in  each  turn,  it  is  necessary  if  the  gouges  are 
used  to  be  c  nstantly   changing    from    one    size    to 
■mother      It  i     >f  importance  to  recollect  that  not  only 
does  each  y^  inch  of  the  reptile  vary  in  size,  increasing 
from  the  head  to  the  middle  rind  decreasing  in  like 
manner  towards  the  tail,  but  also  that  the  size  of  the 
scales  increases  and  decreases  in  the  same  proportion. 
Moreover,  that  on  the  inner  parts  of  the  curve  they 
are  small  and  short,  and  in  the  outside  exactly  the 
reverse,  that  is,  large  and  elongated,  strc.ched  out  as 
it  were      When  the  scales  have  been  roughly  denoted, 
rectify  mistakes  and  irregularities;  and  agam -o  over 
the  whole,  this  time    more    carefully,   and  tr;  n  and 
shape  the  edges,   obliterating    tool  ma:ks,   and   define 
each  separate  scale  so  that   they  all   lie  equally  and 
Ijcrhtly  the  one  over  the  other.     This  done,  the  paper- 
knife  may  be  considered  as  finished,  and  only  requires 
polishing.      For  thi<?  purpose    very    fine    glasspaper, 
w'lich  has  been  already  well  worn,  ma-  be  used. 

To  carve  Fig.  115,  the  same  dirt  ns  as  above 
should  be  observed  as  regards  the  blaue  and  the  snake 
which  is  twisted  round  the  branch.  This  design  is 
somewhat  more  difificult,  but  has  an  admirable  effect 
when  well  carved.  In  preparing  the  wood,  allowance 
must  be  made  for  the  extra  thxkness;  in  fact,  the  part 
for  the  handle  must  be  nearl"  square:  about  ij^  inches 
each  way  would  not  be  too  much,  as  it  is  always  better 


■  v^Se^    ° . 


ROUNDED   FORMS  OR  CARVING   PROPER  197 


.^^^'^fHp!^ 


to  allow  rather  over  than  under  the  measurements 
required.  As  regards  the  branch  round  which  the 
snake  is  coiled,  there  will  he  no  difficulty  in  findinj?  a 
natural  model  (a  little  spray  of  oak  or  thorn  is  the 
best  for  the  purpose);  the  design  will  indi'-il^  where 
the  knots  and  branches  shall  spring  fron^  the  main 
stem,  but  the  natural  model  will  teach  the  peculiar 
angle  and  form  they  tike  better 
than  can  be  giver  in  the  drawings. 
In  so  minute  a  piece  of  carving  as 
this  the  bark  can  be  very  success- 
fully imitated  by  wriggling  the 
edge  of  a  flattish  gouge  or  chisel, 
held  nearly  uprightly,  along  the 
surface  of  a  branch.  This  conveys 
the  idea  of  irregularity  and  rough- 
ness. 

Fig.  116  is  another  paper-knife 
design,  also  very  effective  and  not 
a  little  quaint,  which  to  some  peo- 
ple is  no  inconsiderable  recom- 
mendation. It  should  be  carved 
in  ebony,  as  it  looks  better  in 
that  wood  than  in  any  other.  It 
takes  a  very  solid  piece,  from  12 
to  13  inches  long  and  1 3^  inches 
square,  for  tne  hand'e.  This  is  rather  thicker  than 
absolutely  necessary,  but  it  is  well  to  be  on  the 
safe  side.  The  principal  point  to  bear  in  mind  is 
thit  the  bird  be  balanced  well  and  r  iturally  on  its 
perch,  and  not  appear  to  cling  on  to  it  by  its  tail. 
The  m  ,e  roughing  out  is  very  easily  done.  The 
same  care  must  be  bestowed  on  the  blade,  which 
shou'd,  if    anything,    be    somewhat   thicker,    to   cor- 


FiG.  n6. 


W!^m: 


198  PRACTICAL  WOOD  CARVING 


f  ij 


respond  with  the  extra  thick'^-ss  of  the  handle.  The 
feathers  are  the  only  difficiilt  ,)r.rts;  the  breast  should 
n:)t  be  smooth,  ar,  it  is  with  some  birds,  but  ruf- 
fled 
and 
1  u  ni 
jiy  here 
and  then- 
O  \v  1  s  are 
always  u  n- 
tiily  in  this  re- 
spect. It  nnist  be 
clothed     with    fluff, 


which,  being  of  an  in- 
det . lite  substance,  is  best 
given  by  the  wrigg.ing  mo- 
tion of  the  tool  described 
above.  This  gives  that  dishev 
eled  appearance  of  the  feathers 
peculiar  to  the  owl  when  disturbed 
and  awakened  in  daylight  and  obliged  to 
open  its  eyes.  The  latter  must  be  set/ery 
deeply  in  two  saucers  of  fluffy  feathers,  which 
set  out  from  the  eyes  like  fans,  and  shoiild  be 
done  in  the  same  manner  as  the  breast  feathers,  with 
the  addition  of  a  few  touches  of  a  knife  here  and  there 
to  give  decision.  The  eyes  themselves  should  be  left 
prominent  and  round,  like  beads,  and  polished  brightly. 
The  wings  and  tail  feathers  should  be  carefully  drawn 
and  marked  out  with  a  very  small  gouge,  and  ought  to 
lie  over  each  other  lightly  at  the  back;  a  model  might 
be  bought  and  thus  a  faithful  copy  made  from  nature  — 
a  stuffed  one  will  answer  the  purpose  quite  as  well  as 
if  it  were  alive.     The  claws  must  be  slightly  exagger- 


''ra»!IKiSl^f}' 


ROUNDKI)    I'ORMS  OR  CARVIN(J    I'ROPKR   kjq 


atcil 


Fig.   119. 

well  proportioned.  There  is  both  round  and  flat 
carving  in  it.  The  animal  portion  is  exceedingly 
spirited,  and  the  leaves,  which  take  somewhat  of 
acanthus  forms,  are  tastefidlv  displayed. 


^i,?»*ISS'^S2B     , 


CHAPTKR  VI 


lUiUKlC    CARVlNd 

Our  frontispiece  reprcsiMts  a  fi^iuro  that  is  supposed 
t;)  1)0  the  oldest  carved  wooden  fi^nire   in   the  world, 
beinK'  at  least  6.000  years  old.     It  measures  3  feet  8>4 
inches  high,  and  is  carved  in  jyc.imore,  and  stands  on 
a  base  of  the  same  material,  and  is  preserved  in  the 
Gizeh  Museum.  Cairo   T^,'ypt.      This  famous  wooden 
statue  is  known  as  t...    'Sheik-el-Helad,"  that  is,  the 
chief  of  the   village,   a   name  which    the   Arabs  who 
found   it  bestowed  on   it  because   its  features  closely 
resembled  those  of  their  own  particular  Sheik.     The 
statue   Is  distinctly  a  portrait,  and  is  generally  sup- 
posed to  represent  one  of  the  overseers  of  workmen 
and    slaves,     originally     engaged     in     building     the 
pyramids  which  abound  in  the  district  where  it  was 
discovered,  and  which    recent  "finds"  have  gone  to 
prove  are  the  oldest  of  all  the  pyramids  of  Egypt. 

Figure  carving  and  figure  carvers  have  always  been 
held  in  high  esteem  since  history  began,  and  this  fact 
has  tended  to  make  the  carver  have  an  exalted  opinion 
of  himself,  so  much  so  that  as  a  rule  he  has  begun  to 
think  himself  something  superior  to  other  workmen 
and  usually  turns  up  his  nose  in  contempt  when  brought 
in  contact  with  the  lower  grades  of  craftsmanship. 
Quoting  from  a  recent  contribution  by  Harry  Hems, 
we  get  the  following  on  this  subject: 

"In  my  opinion  there  does  not  exist  a  more  con- 
ceited set  of  men  than  figure  carvers.     Here  is  a  rough 

200 


MMt". 


w. 


'tm-t 


FIGURK  CARVING 


201 


sketch  of  one  taken  (Tif,'.  120),  I  h(.licv«j,  from  nn  old 
illumination  dated  A.D.  1452,  which  seems  to  show 
that  in  this  respect  tluy  do  not  differ  from  the  crafts- 
men of  four  or  five  centuries  aj^o. 


Fig.  120. 


"In  the  forty-fourth  chapter  of  the  liook  of  Isaiah, 
the  following  account  of  the  figure  carver's  work  is 
given:  'The  carpenter  stretchcth  out  his  rule;  he 
marketh  it  out  with  a  line;  he  fitteth  it  with  planes,  he 


'i^Mdsii .  .  .^''■•:jLi 


j 


202  PRACTICAL  WOOD  CARVING 

markoth  it  out  with  the  compass,  and  maketh  it  after 
the  fij,'urc  of  a  man,  according  to  the  heauty  of  a  man; 
that  it  mav  remain  ir  the  house.   ..." 

"If  a  carpenter  of  to-day  were  to  assay  to  carve  a 
statue  in  wood,  would  he  not  work  upon  precisely  the 
same  lines)'  We  can  fancy  him  squaring  up  his  stuff, 
putting  the  rule  over  it— chalk-lining  it,  perhaps- 
measuring  it,  and  then  making  some  sort  of  a  halting 
start.  A  real  figure  carver,  of  course,  after  carefully 
modeling  his  proposed  statue  in  clay,  would  simply 
put  a  bench  screw  in  the  back  or  base  of  the  block  of 
wood  to  be  carved  and,  having  secured  it  tightly  in  an 
upright  position,  level  with  the  eye,  without  the  least 
marking  or  measuring,  would  hammer  away  till  fi;»-thcr 
orders,  trusting  entirely  to  inspiration.  'What  draw- 
ing are  you  copying?'  is  the  constant  and  perhaps 
natural  query  asked  by  visitors  to  a  wood  carver's 
studio  of  those  busily  engaged  in  modeling  or  carving 
the  figure.  'Copying  nothing,'  is  the  cool  and  perhaps 
somewhat  indignant  reply.  'But  surely,'  the  enquirer 
will  add,  'surely  you  are  not  making  that  lovely  angel 
out  of  your  own  head?'  'No,'  he  may  retort,  'my  head 
is  not  a  clump  of  wood,  and  that  is.' 

"Isaiah's  carpenter  cried  to  his  statue  after  he  made 
it,  and  said  pleadingly,  'Deliver  me,  for  thou  art  my 
god';  and  to-day,  although  we  do  not  actually  worship, 
in  a  superstitious  sense,  the  creations  of  our  own 
brains,  there  is  no  doubt  that  our  works  oftentimes 
make  deep  impressions  upon  the  minds  of  others." 

No  doubt  there  is  much  truth  in  what  Mr.  Hems  says 
concerning  the  "conceit"  of  recognized  figure  carvers, 
but  then  they  have  good  reason  to  feel  proud  of  them- 
selves and  -" '^  '*-eir  work,  for  it  is  not  stretching  the 
truth  to  s  .  among  the  eighty  millions  of  people 


mmm 


FIGURE  CARVING 


20^ 


who  own  th»  (•  Unittcl  Statt;s  then-  is  not  more  than 
one  in  every  1  Million  who  maybe  considered  a  gotxl 
figure  carver;  so,  if  in  this  broad  land  there  arc!  not 
more  than  tij,'hty  persons  deserving  the  name  of  good 
figure  c  rvers,  these  eighty  immortals  have  some  good 
reason  to  feel  pr  >ikI. 

I  vervthin    (!ls«;  where  greatness  is  attained,  the 

,urt    c.r  is  born,  not  made.     If  thedi.inc 

not    n  hi!      no  amount  of  training  or  practice 
bly  mak.       famoi  ,  fij.. ire  carver,  but  ordinary 
ma)     n  ad     '  attain    an   ordinary   expertness 
ble    -t)  tun     Hit  ordinary  work  —  the  kind  of 
I    i(   su^sts  the  <  .  lin.iry  world— which,  after  all, 
ni'    t   appreLiaiid    by    the   great   mass   of    the 


stt 
cat 
n^ 
an 

W' 

is 
P' 


Figur  viii,^  and   tiu-  representation  of  the  human 

I-  rm,  r'>-  in   frUef  or   in  statues,  is  without  doubt 

t  '- st  Urani  h   of  the  wood  carver's  art,  and  we 

^avc  deferred  any  remarks  respecting  it 

.ntil  it  1 

Th  rt   mar.      difficulties    to    be    mastered    and 

disapi  "-"nt-  lo  be  borne  befoie  the  begintiers  will 

be  ab  i    sent  accurately  in  wood  the  "human 

form   <\\\  <ienerally  speaking,  it  will  be   found 

advisab  i^«.th  animal  and  figure  carving   to  con- 

vention.! '.e  the  (!  sign  to  a  certain  extent.  We  find 
frequent  example-  of  this  style  of  decoration  in  the 
Greek  style,  whe-  figures  and  animals  are  represented 
with  the'-  extremities  finished  in  leafage  and  scroll 
work.  There  are  numerous  cases  in  wliich  the  human 
form  treated  in  a  conventional  manner  may  be 
judiciously  and  effectively  introduced  among  other 
decorative  features,  either  to  give  a  symbolical  meaning 
or  to  enable  the  wood  carver  to  obtain  a  more  extended 


rrrrr. 


204 


PRACTICAL  WOOD  CARVING 


i 


I 


area  for  the  exercise  of  his  skill  than  can  he  ()l)taine<l 
by  the  use  of  foliateil  forms  alone. 

In  the  earliest  aj;es  of  ornament  we  find  tif,'iires  and 
aninials  introduced  to  j,'ive  variety  to  ornamentation, 
hut  they  are  in  nearly  all  cases  intermixed  with  foliaj^e 
forms.  In  the  G.cik  style  examples  often  occur  of  the 
human  fij;ure  heinj;  introduced  in  an  ornanu-nted  as 
well  as  a  "sculpturesque"  manner  in  combination  with 

scroll  f  o  I  i  aj.je,  and 
the  Roman  carried 
the  principle  s  t  i  1  . 
further  by  combining 
the  figure  with  the 
foliage  itself. 

The  practice  of  in- 
troducing an  i  mal  s, 
birds  and  grotescjue 
figures  in  order  to 
give  life  and  variety 
to  ornamentation  has 
been  a  common  one 
with  most  designers, 
both  ancient  and  modern,  and  in  the  Renaissance 
style  such  combinations  occur  frequently,  examples 
of  vvi.;ch  are  given  in  Figs,  i '9  and  I2l  Before 
proceeding  to  describe  the  method  to  be  adopted 
in  the  carving  of  these  designs,  I  wish  to  give  a 
few  hints  respecting  the  introduction  by  the  amateur 
of  animal  forms  in  his  designs.  There  need  be  no 
limit  to  th"  formatior!  and  designing  of  either  the  con- 
ventional animal  forms  or  the  grotesque,  provided  the 
ordinary  laws  of  good  taste  be  not  infringed.  For 
instance,  if  groiesijue  or  animal  forms  are  introduced 
into  the  design,  either  by  combining  the  monsters  in 


Fig.   121. 


f-  \i 


V    % 


FIGURE  CARVING 


205 


the  scrolls  or  by  placing  the  animals  u\><,n  th«,  tcndri!!. 
of  plantH,  it  is  obviously  necessary  to  prvjportion  f'.ctn 
accordingly.  Htsidcs  figures,  a  good  many  other 
forms  have  from  time  to  time  Ijcen  introduced  as  aids 
to  decorations;  and  in  many  examples  of  Grinliti^ 
Gibbons'  work,  not  only  dead  K-'ime,  but  also  the 
implements  of  the  chase  have  been  introduced, 
although,  perhaps,  this  c  n  hardly  be  termed  or  con- 
sidered a  high-class  method  of  ornamentation.  In  the 
examples  shown  in  Figs.  119  and  121  the  human  :.nd 
other  forms  are  in  --ombination  with  f(jliage,  etc.  In 
this  description  of  work  the  san.e  process  is  gone 
through  ai  previously  described,  is  traced  on  the  sur- 
face of  the  wood,  then  roughly  "blocked"  in  with  a 
quick  tool,  taking  particular  care  t.  pre:  erve  a  few 
points  to  work  by.  In  carving  any  piece  of  work, 
however,  which  involves  a  great  amount  of  labor  and 
is  in  high  relief,  we  should  most  strongly  advise  the 
beginner  to  model  the  design  nrst  of  ail  in  clay,  so  ps 
to  get  a  general  idea  of  the  effect;  or,  if  clay  is  not 
available,  cut  in  the  design  roughly  in  any  soft  wood, 
such  as  pine.  This  advice  may  at  first  sight  appear  to 
entail  a  great  amount  of  additional  labor,  but  in  the 
end  the  extra  work  will  be  amply  repaid,  as  the  work 
will  be  facilitated  in  every  way. 

In  carvi.ig  figures  of  animals,  birds,  reptiles,  it  is 
best,  it  possible,  to  have  an  actual  figure  or  af^imal  as  a 
model,  as  a  dog's  head  or  a  dead  robin  suspended  on 
the  slab  by  a  !  ge-headed  nail,  of  course  an  imitation 
one  carved  out  of  the  solid  wood.  There  are  few  more 
beautiful  subjects  for  the  carver  than  this  of  dead 
birds,  and  it  is  one  which  can  be  used  in  a  variety  of 
manners,  either  purely  as  an  ornament  to  lay  on  a 
slab,  or  to  hang  up  against  the  wall,  or  as  a  panel  for 


I 


206  PRACTICAL  WOOD  CARVING 

a  cabinet  or  sideboard.     For  tlie  latter  purpose  half 
relief  will  be  sufficient;  for  the  former,  three-quarters, 
or  even  entire  relief,  is  desirable.     It  were  useless  for 
us  to  attempt  to  give  any  design  of  this  description, 
for  nothing  short  of  a  photograph  or  a  most  minute 
engraving  could  delineate  the  description  and  texture 
of  the  feathers;    but  this,   however,  is  of  little  impor- 
tance, as  the  natural  bird  is  about  the  best  model  that 
can  be  had,  and  this  is  within  reach  of  every  one;  but 
we  would  remind  all  those  who  intend  to  study  from 
models  of  this  kind,  that  it  is  preferable  to  do  so  m 
the  winter,  for  not  only  will  it  longer  retain  its  ongmal 
pose,  but  the  worker  will  not  be  tempted  to  hurry  over 
his  work  for  unsavory  reasons.     All  difficulties  of  this 
kind,  however,   mav  be  avoided,  and  skill  in  carving 
materially  improved  if  a  slight  knowledge  of  modeling 
in  clay  be  attained.     Of  course,   in  speaking  thus  we 
mean  modeling  in  its  simplest  forms,  merely  enough 
to  enable  us  to  retain  forms  in  our  memory  for  future 
use,  which  either  by  nature  or  circumstances  are  fleet- 
ing; such,  for  instance,  as  a  specially  beautiful  group 
of^'leaves    or    flowers,    which,    even    could    they   be 
gathered  without  destroying  their  pose,  would  wither 
before  they  could  be  expressed  in  wood;  or,  again,  to 
return  to   the  case   in   point,  modeling  is  invaluable  to 
enable  the  artist  to  catch  the  general  outline  of  a  bird, 
or  a  group  of  birds  or  animals,  while  they  are  still 
fresh,  before  they  become  stark  and  stiff;  the  feather- 
ing or  fur,  being  a  detail,  can  be  copied  from  models 
of^he  same  kind,  placed  as  nearly  as  possible  in  the 
same  position.     It  may  be  argued   that  a  slight  pencil 
sketch   would   answer  the   purpose  as  well   as  a  clay 
model,  and  with  less  expenditure  of  time  and  trouble, 
but  it  is  nut  so,  for  a  few  skillful  touches  in  clay  will 


FIGURE  CARVING  207 

convey  an  idea  such  as  would  be  useful  to  the  carver 
far  better  than  could  be  done  with  the  pencil,  unless 
It  were  in  very  talented  hands;  moreover,  as  the 
rudiments  of  carving  and  modeling  are  the  same  (which 
IS  not  the  case  as  regards  drawing),  it  is  probable  that 
to  express  an  idea  in  clay  would  be  easier  to  the 
carver  than  to  do  so  by  means  of  the  pencil. 

A  good  quantity  of  modeling  clay  can  be  bought  for 
a  mere  trifle.     It  can  usually  be  procured  at  any  pot- 
tery works,  from  pipe  makers,  or  at  cast  shops;  but  in 
this  latter  place  it  is  generally  more  expensive.     It  is 
sold  in  the  form  of  powder  mixed  with  rough  lumps- 
these  must  be  thoroughly  crushed,  and    the   powder 
worked  up  with  water    into    a  smooth  dough,  which 
should   be  as  stiff  and  dry  as   is  compatible  with   its 
bemg  easily  handled,  for  the  moister  it  is  so  much  the 
greater  will  be  the  risk  of  its  cracking  when  the  water 
evaporates.     In  many  cases  ordinary  clav  will  answer 
If  properly  managed.     The  mod.!,  when  you  are  not 
at  work  on  it.  should  be  kept  damp  with   a  wet  hand- 
kerchief or  rag  thrown  over  it;  if  this  precaution  be 
neglected,    it   will   dry    unevenly  and    fall   to   pieces 
The  same  clay  can  be  broken  up  and  used  over  and 
over  again   by   taking   care   to  grind   it   finely  before 
mixing    it   afresh.     The    few   tools    and     instruments 
required  for  modeling  are  very  simple  and  inexpensive 
merely  little  sticks  of  wood  or  ivorv  with  different- 
shaped  knobs  at  the  end,  others,  again,  being  pointed 
and  curved.      Half  a  dozen  of    the  ordinary  shapes 
would  do  to  start  with,  and  with  the  aid  of  a  knife  and 
some  glasspaper  a  modeler  could  easily  make  as  many 
others  as  necessity  or  fancy  suggested,  the  chief  point 
being  to  make  them  very  smooth,  that  the  clay  may  not 
adhere    to    them.     Plaster    of   Paris,    though    not  so 


208  PRACTICAL  WOOD  CARVING 

artistic,  is  not  a  bad  substitute  for  <^l-y;  ;*  ";;j^\  ^^^ 
ground  and  mixed  in  the  same  manner,  ^ut -t  must  be 
used  with  more  water,  as  it  sets  quickly  and  soon  dnes^ 
I  can  then  be  cut  or  scraped  with  a  knjfe  or  tool,  and 
should    .  mistake  occur  it  can  be  easdy  remedied  by 

adding  a  fresh  daub  of  the  plaster. 
^^e^ex.d«i,„,Ki..u.Ua„ea,^J^ora,e<.er„. 

carving  from 
which     this 
drawing  is  taken 
was  executed 
chiefly  from  na- 
ture.    It   meas- 
ures   4    feet 
across  the  wings 
and  stands  4 
feet  4  inches 
high,     irrespec- 
tive of  the  stand 
on   which    it   is 
placed.  This  is, 
however,    an 
unusually  large 
size,   it   being 
intended    for  a 
cathedr.-,!;  from  22  to  ,0  inches  across  the  wings  a^e 
,hc  usual  dimensions.      Before   commenc  r^g  th  s  or 
=nv  hrce  worl<  of  a  similar  nature,  it  is  advisable  to 
mJk     a  small    working    model  of    the    subject;    this 
::,del  should  be  made  ,o  scale,  that   s,  it  ^M^^ 
a  certain  proportion  to  the  large  work,  as,   """^"";^; 
should  it  be  proposerl  to  make  the  "«'<=  ^'l    nch« 
across,  then  let  the  model  be  8  inches,  that  ,s,  4  mchei. 


Fig.  122. 


FIGURE  CARVING 


209 


to  the  I  foot.  It  need  not,  of  course,  be  highly 
finished,  the  minor  details  of  feathering,  claws,  etc., 
being  of  no  account,  as  the  sole  object  is  to  arrive  at 
a  just  idea  of  the  general  effect,  and  to  satisfy  yourself 
that  the  pose  and  proportions  are  correct  before  com- 
mencing on  the  wood  itself;  of  course,  should  you 
copy  from  a  model  the  size  of  your  own  carving,  these 
preliminaries  will  not  be  necessary;  it  is  only  when 
you  are  called  upon  either  to  greatly  increase  or  reduce 
its  proportions  that  this  extra  work  is  advisable.  A 
very  expert  carver  might  even  dispense  with  it 
altogether,  but  it  would  be  ex- 
tremely rash  in  a  novice  to  do 
so,  for,  as  we  have  elsewhere 
remarked,  carving  cannot  be 
altered  at  will,  not  at  least  to 
any  extent;  therefor-j  the  great- 
er caution  used,  so  much  the 
greater  will  be  the  chance  of 
success. 

To  make  a  rough  m^odel, 
such  as  described,  of  the  eagle  in  Fig.  122,  it  will  be 
necessary,  on  account  of  the  soft,  yielding  nature  of 
the  clay,  to  form  it  on  a  kind  of  frame,  a  skeleton,  so 
to  speak,  which  will  give  it  strength  to  bear  its  own 
weight  Fig.  123  represents  such  a  skeleton,  which 
consists  of  five  strips  of  wood  nailed  or  tied  firmly 
together  and  fixed  into  a  square  of  wood  so  as  to 
form  a  solid  base  on  which  to  stand;  the  two  side 
pieces  are  tied  strongly,  as  shown,  to  the  crosspiece 
in  front,  while  the  middle  piece  passes  in  front 
in  a  slanting  position,  to  form  the  slope  from 
the  breast  to  the  extremity  of  the  tail;  the  head, 
from  being  thrown  back  in  the  act  of  looking  upwards, 


Fig.  123. 


I  I 


I 


W 


,-r' 


it 


210  PRACTICAL  WOOD  CARVI.JG 

balances  and  supports  its  own  weight.  Some  carvers 
prefer  to  make  thjir  models,  as  stated  before,  in  soft 
wood,  such  as  pine  or  bassvvood,  and  this  plan  has 
certainly  the  advantage  in  that  it  is  more  durable  than 
either  clay  or  plaster,  but  it  is  not  so  satisfactory  on 
the  whole,  as  in  the  latter  materials  the  form  can  be 
altered  and  re-altered  until  it  is  quite  to  the  artist's 
mind,  which  cannot  be  the  case  in  wood. 

Be  very  careful  in  superintending  the  preparation  of 
the  wood,  and  the  manner  in  which  it  is  joined 
together.  This  should  be  entrusted  only  to  a  very 
skillful  workman,  and  one  who  thoroughly  understands 
his  business,  for  the  beauty  and  success  of  the  work 
will  mainly  depend  on  the  exactness  and  strength  with 
which  the  parts  are  put  together.  Much  judgment 
and  care  must  be  expended  in  the  arrangement  of  the 
joins,  in  order  that  they  m  ly  interfere  as  little 
as  possible  with  the  carving  itself,  as,  for  instance,  the 
head  should  be  in  one  piece,  that  is,  with  a  join  on 
either  side,  an^'  not  in  the  middle,  and  so  on. 

The  wood  should  be  cut  out  of  the  block  and 
expo  to  the  air  as  long  a  time  -s  possible  before  it 
;s  b  p;    the   longer  the  better,  as   the  chance  of 

warpn  ,  which  would  be  fatal  to  the  work,  is  greatl.N- 
lessened  by  many  months'  exposure.  Flaws  and  knots 
in  the  wood  itself,  though  by  no  means  desirable,  are 
comparatively  of  little  importance,  as  from  the  bold- 
ness and  freedom  of  the  design  much  is  left  to  the 
artist's  fancy,  so  that  any  little  local  flaw  can  be 
worked  in  and  concealed  amongst  the  irregularities  of 
the  plumage.  There  is  yet  one  other  point  which 
reauires  attention  before  the  wood  is  finally  clamped 
together,  and  tW^--  is  to  place  those  pieces  side  by  side 
which  agree  the  best  in  color  and  grain.     Th-  shades 


mmt 


FIGIJRK   CARVING 


211 


of  the  different  blocks  should  blend  together  so  as  to 
give  the  semblance  as  far  as  may  be  of  the  eagle  being 
carved  out  of  one  entire  piece;  carelessness  in  this 
respect  cannot  be  atoner'  for  by  the  finest  carvings,  for 
all  the  artist's  skill  could  not  save  the  bird  from  appear- 
in;r  patchy  ard  woodeny  if  a  stripe  of  lighter  color 
than  the  rest  ran  down  the  breast.  his  is  a  misfor- 
tune which  the  most  ignorant  ..ovice  can  with  a  little 
care  and  painstaking  avoid. 

In  regard  to  the  actual  manual  part  of  the  subject,  ii 
is  useless  to  lay  down  any  rules  ^or  the  carver's 
guidance,  as  ic  is  better  in  these  comparatively  minor 
details  that  he  should  work  in  accordance  with  his  own 
comfort  and  convenience.  As  a  broad  rule,  however, 
it  is  always  well  to  "rough  out"  the  subject  uniformly 
and  to  avoid  entering  into  detail,  so  as  to  arrive  as 
soon  as  may  be  at  a  just  idea  of  the  general  effect,  and 
afterwards  to  go  over  it  again  with  a  little  more 
exactitude,  repeating  this  process  until  it  stands  com- 
pleted as  regards  the  pose  and  main  features,  but 
devoid,  in  the  case  of  the  subjects  in  question,  of 
plumage  and  such  like  minutia.  These  should  then 
in  their  turn  be  roughly  delineated  and  gradually  be 
worked  up  together  into  a  perfect  whole.  It  is  only 
by  rigidly  following  out  this  plan  that  a  uniform  and 
natural  effect  can  be  obtained  by  the  inexperienced 
workman;  if,  for  instance,  one  wing  were  highly 
finished  in  all  its  points  before  the  other  was  begun, 
the  greater  part  would  probably  have  to  be  altered,  or, 
as  very  likely  this  would  be  impossible,  without  cutting 
away  too  much  of  the  wood,  the  two  wings  would  look 
as  if  they  did  not  belong  to  the  same  bird  and  the 
effect  ii  th  whole  carving  would  be  spoilt.  Doubtless 
this  manner  of  working  up  the  whole  by  slow  degrees 


ir 


f 


i 


212 


PRACTICAL  WOOD  CARVING 


i 


is  somewhat  a  trial  of  patic-nco,  especially  if  it  be  a  first 
work  of  the  kind,  for  it  certainly  is  very  temptui},'  to 
finish  up  a  little  l)it  in  order  to  see  the  effect.  This, 
though  satisfactory  for  the  moment,  will  spoil  the 
appearance  oi  the  finished  work,  or  at  any  rate  is  a 
great  risk  on  account  of  the  danger  of  cutting  away 
too  much  of  a  particular  part  before  it  is  possible  to 
judge  of  the  whole. 

The  feet  and  head  of  the  eagle  will   require  great 
care,  especially  the    former.     Procure,  if  possible,   a 
real  foot  as  a  model.     If  an  eagle's  cannot  be  obtained, 
that  of  a  similar  bird  of  prey  must  do  duty.     Bestow 
much  pains  on  observing  and  imitating  the  roughness 
of  their  texture  and  the  manner  in  which  the  fluff  falls 
over  and   around   them.     The  eagle  may  be  designed 
to  stand  on  a  ball  of  wood,  or  upon  a  rock,  but  be  sure 
that  you  do  not  carve  or  draw  a  fancy  rock  out  of  your 
own 'head,  for  unless  \     i  are  well   practiced   in  such 
matters   it   will   assuredly  be   stiff   and    conventional; 
but  look  about  and  find  a  real  stone,  to  which,  if  too 
large  to  move,  take  your  modeling  clay  and  copy  it 
faithfully  on   the   spot,  and   afterwards  at  home  model 
your  eagle  upcMi  it.     If  the  worst  comes  to  th<   worst, 
and  you  cannot  light  on  either  rock  or  stone  which  is 
suitable,  you  might  find  a  worse  model  for  your  pur- 
pose than  a  piece  of  coal,  which  is  in  every  one's  reach. 
Take  care  in   placing  the   model  on  the  rock  that  the 
claws  really  clutch  it,  and  that  the  bird  is  properly 
poised  and  balanced  upon  it. 

We  will  now  pass  on  to  the  last  and  perhaps  the 
most  difficult  branch  of  the  art— that  of  carving  in 
basso-relievo.  For  this  a  knowledge  of  drawing  is 
almost  a  necessity,  as  is  also  the  rudiments  of  per- 
spective; we  say  almost  necessary,   for    in  some  rare 


FIGURE  CARVING 


213 


cases  the  artist's  eye  is  so  intuitively  af^curate  that  he 
can  afford  to  dispense  with  such  knowledge  and  may 
trust  solely  to  an  acute  feelinjf  of  proportion  and  form 
to  guide  him  aright;  but  this  is  very  exceptional, 
therefore  it  would  be  well  for  those  who  intend  to 
pursue  this  Ijranch  to  practice  drawing  from  cases,  if 
obtainable,  and  to  make  the  rules  of  perspective  a  pre- 
liminary study.  We  would  especially  counsel  ladies 
to  follow  this  particular  line  of  art,  which,  while 
necessitating  skill  of  the  highest  order,  involves  the 
expenditure  of  less  actual  strength  than  those  carvings 
which  are  in  full  relief. 

The  student  in  this  style  has  an  abundance  of 
beautiful  and  suitable  subjects  at  his  command,  for 
not  only  are  casts  of  most  of  the  best  works  of  this 
kind  procurable,  but  there  is  also  another  field  open 
to  him  in  the  many  pictures  and  parts  of  pictures  which 
are  now  placed  within  our  reach  by  means  of  pho- 
tography. We  could  not,  however,  counsel  him  to 
attempt  to  carve  from  a  flat  object,  such  as  a  picture, 
until  he  has  first  practiced  both  carving  and  drawing 
from  a  cast,  in  order  to  educate  the  eye  in  the  per- 
spective of  figures  for  this  especial  purpose.  No 
better  models  can  be  found  than  the  casts  from  the 
basso-relievos  of  Luca  della  Robbia.  After  having 
w  rked  thus  from  casts,  the  r.ext  step  in  advance  is 
.'  do  so  from  photographs  of  basso-relievo  sculpture; 
from  thence  you  may,  if  you  wish,  pass  on  to  carve 
from  photographs  of  pictures.  Having  arrived  at  this 
point,  you:  choice  of  subjects  is  practically  unlimited. 
Choose,  to  begin  with,  a  bold  and  somewhat  severe 
outline,  such  for  instance  as  some  of  Ary  Scheffcr's 
figures;  carved  pictures  of  this  kind  are,  when 
artistically  executed,  \  cry  beautiful;  and  the  edge  of 


I 


'\ 


\  I 


i 

t  '\ 

\ 

I 

i 

i 


214 


PRACTICAL  WOOD  CARVING 


the  wood,  beveled  and  finished  with  a  simple  ogee, 
is  generally  sufficient  margin  to  set  off  the  carving, 
or  engraving  similar  to  the  one  shown  in  Fig.  124, 
which  shows  birds,  be'  es,  butterflies,  insects  and 
foliage.  They  present,  when  finished,  the  appearance 
of  the  picture  of  figure,  beini;  set  in  saucers  or  basins 
of  wood,  varying  in  depth  according  to  the  taste  of 
the  carver,  and  may  be  either  round  or  oval,  whichever 
is  most  suitable  to  the  subject.  For  small  picture 
carvings  of  this  kind,  a  flat  or  slightly  beveled  rim  or 
velvet  laid  on  the  wall  about  I  or  2  inches  in  width  is 
a  great  improvement  and  sets  it  off  wonderfully. 
This  style  of  wood  sculpture  was  much  practiced  in  the 
sixteenth  century,  especially  in  Spain,  where  there  are 
many  specimens  of  the  kind  still  preserved;  these, 
also,  in  many  instances,  bear  marks  of  the  background 
having  been  gilded  and  even  painted  in  color. 
Whether  the  latter  was  an  improvement  is,  we  think, 
questionable,  but  as  regards  the  former,  ihere  is  little 
doubt  that  the  gilding  adds  considerably  to  the  effect 
of  the  carving,  as  the  reflection  of  the  gold  on  the 
convex  background  marks  the  outlines  and  throws  it 
into  great  relief.  Any  good  single  head  set  thus,  as  it 
were,  in  a  round  dish  or  saucer  of  wood,  would  be  an 
excellent  study  and  form  also  an  extremely  handsome 
object  in  a  room,  hung  picturewise  on  the  wall;  you 
will  find  some  very  beautiful  heads  suited  for  this  pur- 
pose on  the  doors  of  the  Baptistry  at  Florence. 
Excellent  photographs  have  been  taken  of  the  original, 
from  which  a  good  carver  could  easily  work. 

To  find  good  casts  is  a  somewhat  more  difficult 
matter,  especially  for  those  who  live  in  the  country. 
The  plaster  of  Paris  images  which  arc  offered  for  sale 
in  the  streets  would  very  probably  mislead  rather  than 


FIGURE  CARVING 


«5 


! 


Fig.  124. 


\ 


\ 


2lC 


TRACTICAL  WOOD  CARVING 


guide  and  improve  your  taste,  so  that  on  the  whole  it 
would  be  sater  and  better  to  trust  to  drawings  and 
photographs  of  reaiiy  good  works,  which  must  be 
correct. 

The  carver  will,  doubtless,  in  many  instances,  find  it 
necessary  to  enlarge  or  rctluce  the  dimensions  of  his 
model  or  design,  as  it  would  be  unlikely  that  he  could 
find  a  drawing  or  photograph  of  precisely  the  retjuisite 
size.  In  this  case  we  would  advise  him  to  adopt  a 
mechanical  plan  in  vogue  amongst  copyisls,  namely, 
to  cover  the  face  of  the  design  with  a  network  of 
horizontal  and  perpendicular  lines  by  means  of  a  light 
pencil  or  chalk;  or  if  you  do  not  wish  to  make  marks 
on  the  design,  stretch  threads  across  from  edge  to 
edge  in  the  following  manner:  The  picture  or  photo- 
graph must  first  be  fi.xed  on  a  drawing-board,  or,  if 
you  have  not  one,  any  soft  pine  board  which  will  not 
warp  will  do  as  well;  then  mark  out  a  square  enclosing 
it — let  us  say  12  inches  in  size;  of  course,  this  will 
vary  according  to  the  dimensions  of  the  photograph. 
Each  inch  on  both  sides  and  at  the  top  and  bottom 
must  be  exactly  measured  off  and  marked  with  a  short 
steel  pin  or  tack;  strain  threads  first  horizontally  and 
then  perpendicularly  from  pin  to  pin,  then  take  a 
sheet  of  drawing  paper  of  the  exact  size  you  intend 
your  carving  to  be,  and  on  it  rule  the  same  number  of 
lines  as  there  are  threads  over  the  photograph.  You 
will  thus  have  the  same  number  of  squares  in  each, 
larger  or  smaller,  as  the  case  may  be.  In  each  square 
on  your  drawing  paper  sketch  in  the  figure,  i-art  of 
figure,  or  whatever  is  the  subject  which  is  enclosed  in 
the  corresponding  sijuare  of  the  photograph.  By  this 
simple  method  even  the  most  clumsy  draughtsman  is 
enabled  to  make  a  sufficiently  correct  outline. 


I 


FIGURK  CARVING 


217 


In  order,  however,  to  f,'ive  a  «:Irar  idra  of  !iow  t<» 
enlarge  a  drawing  wc  submit  the  followinj;  method: 
Readers    who    arc 


inexperienced  in 
theartof  draut,'hts- 
manship,  and  to 
whom  "drawing  to 
scale"  is  a  term 
with  a  deeply  mys- 
terious meaning, 
naturally  find  it 
very     difficult     to 


mak( 


use 


)f 


sketch  or  design 
which  happens  to 
be  many  times 
smaller  than  it  is 
intended  to  be  car- 
ried out.  The  en- 
I  a  r  g  i  n  g  from  a 
small  sketch  will 
be  found  tiresome 
and  liable  to  lead 
to  error;  and 
again,  where  the 
beauty  of  the  de- 
sign depends  on 
subtle  curvatuics 
and  nice  spacing, 
the  inexpert  will 
be  apt  to  spoil  the 
whole  by  injudi- 
cious touches.  For 
all   that,    there  is 


ACK^Cf^gj**^^ 


Fig.  125. 


C  ab  c  d  e  jg  j) 
Fig.  126. 


:ti8 


PRACTICAL  WOOD  CARVING 


V 


I 


Fig.  127. 


room  left  for  the 
exercise  of  the 
clrauKhtsman's  art,  as 
will  presently  ap- 
pear. 

There  are  four 
ways  of  enlarKini^  a 
clesifjn.  One  is  the 
method  of  enlargin^,' 
by  means  of  squarlnfj 
over  the  design,  and 
another  involves  the 
use  of  an  instrument 
known  as  the  panto- 
graph. 

When  speaking  of 
'designs"  in  this 
connection,  it  should 
be  understood  that 
ornament  rather  than 
construction  is 
meant. 

We  shall  deal  first 
with  that  involving 
only  the  use  of  paper 
and  pencil,  drawing 
board, T-square,  etc.; 
the  method  leaves 
some  little  drawing 
to  the  hand  of  the 
operator,  which  the 
pantograph  does  not, 
but  few  will  be  found 
unequal   to  the  task, 


FIGURE  CARVING 


.'19 


more  "life"  in  th    trt-t- 
liti-  mcchanicallv  clone 


and  there  is  jjener.illy  a  little 
hand  drawin^^'  than  in  that  <i 
The  example  mentioned,  a  piece  of  carved  ornament  f«.'r 
a  mirror  frame,  will  serve  excellently  for  illustration, 
hein},'boKl,  free  ami  simple,  yet  admirable  in  its  class. 
It  is  here  reproduced,  l-'i;;.  IJ5,  as  original,  and  by  its 
side  will  be  seen  the  sami;  desi;;n  "sipiared  over"  to 
show  the  principle  of  enlarj^dn;,'  by  this  method.  Fi^j. 
127  shows  the  desi^Mi  enlart,'ed  to  three  times  the  ori;,'- 
inal,  and  the  way  this  is  accomplished,  while  it  may 
be  obvious  to  many,  remains  to  be  explained. 

The  first  thing  to  be  done  is  to  ^et  the  outline  of 
the  extreme  outside  of  the  panel.  If  the  drawinjj  is  to 
be  made  direct  on  the  w"^- 
be  the  edges  of  the  fii 
or  other  purely  constn  1 
posing  the   enlargement 


IS  outline  wi 


11.  of 


course 


)ard  (neglecting  tenons 
etaiis).  We  are  sup- 
to  three  times  the 
original;  measuring  this,  wo  .  .id  the  outline  to  be  4j;^ 
inches  (bare)  by  1  inch.  Multi[)lying  each  of  these 
dimensions  by  three  gives  us  the  size  of  the  finished 
board,  14%'  inches  (say)  by  3  inche-  (The  whole 
length  '>f  ?4  inches  cannot,  of  course,  be  acco 
mod. 
is  showi 
explanation.  ■> 


m- 


1    1;     one    of  these  pages,    so    that  only    h.ilf 
riiis     will     make    no    difference    to    the 


Th 


e   next   process   is    the    divisi 


on   o 


f    th 


e   original 


drawing  into  a  number  of  rectangular   spaces.     Any 
mber  of  divisions  will  do,  but  the  closer  they  are 


nu 


the  more  exact  will  be  the  reproduction;  but  if  too 
close  will  prove  troublesome.  As  the  drawing  is  an 
inch  wide,  it  will  be  simplest  to  divide  the  width  at 
top  and  bottom   into  eight  equal  parts  ( 's  inch  each) 


and 


join   up  as   shown  in   I'lg.    12O.      Piad   the  width 
been,  say,  i^^  inches,  eight  divisions  would  still  have 


I 


*\ 


m 


.r^:t'^» 


m 


IT" 


220 


PRACTICAL  WOOD  CARVING 


f 


]!^cn  a  very  suitable  amount,  but  the  ordinary  scale 
or  )■  lie  would  have  been  useless  and  a  pair  of  com- 
pr.  scs  or  dividers  would  have  to  be  used  to  space  out 
the  divisions  equally.  The  important  point  is  to  get 
all  the  spaces  accurately  alike,  as  on  this  depends  the 
correctness  of  the  copy. 

The  vertical  height  of  the  drawing  has  next  to  be 
divided  up.  There  is  not  the  least  necessity  to  make 
these  spaces  the  same  as  the  others,  so  long  as  a  con- 
venient width  can  be  found  for  them,  but  in  the  pres- 
ent case  }i  inch  spaces  -u'i//  be  found  convenient, 
largely  because  this  happens  to  be  the  most  ordinary 
spacing  on  a  two-foot  or  other  rule.  Starting  from  the 
top  of  the  drawing  at  A,  therefore,  mark  off  }4  inch 
spaces  all  the  way  down  to  C;  and  then  do  the  same 
from  B  towards  D.  Join  the  marks  so  made  so  as  to 
cover  the  whole  drawing  with  a  square  network  like 
Fig.  126.  Use  a  fine-pointed  hardish  pencil  for  the 
purpose,  and  do  not  press  too  heavily;  the  page  will 
not  be  spoiled  by  the  process,  even  if  the  lines  are 
not  afterwards  rubbed  out. 

It  will  be  noticed  that  owing  to  the  length  of  A  B 
(4I I  inches)  not  being  an  amount  exactly  divisible  into 
eighths,  a  small  space  about  ^s  inch  wide  is  left  at  the 
bottom.  Neglect  this,  as  it  will  not  in  the  least  inter- 
fere with  subsequent  operations. 

Now  turn  to  the  outline  already  prepared  for  the 
enlarged  drawing  (Al  Bl,  Ci  Ui,  Fig.  127).  Al  Bl 
and  Ci  Dl  have  to  be  divided  into  the  same  number 
of  spaces  as  A  B,C  D  in  Fig.  126,  viz.,  eight.  Obviousiy 
tnese  spaces  will  be  three  times  the  size  of  the  others, 
and  )4  inch  x  3  =  ^s  inch.  Mark  off  A I  Bl,  therefore, 
at  intervals  of  3h  mch  and  do  the  same  at  tne  other 
end  of  the  pilaster,  and    join    up.     Had  A   B   been 


i^mm^i 


i*,>^ 


Z^_^, 


FIGURE   CARVING 


221 


divided  into  eight  parts  with  the  dividers,  owing  to  the 
impossibility  of  using  a  definite  division  on  an  ordinary 
rule,  Al  lU  would  likewise  have  to  be  divided  with 
compasses,  by  trial,  in  the  same  way. 

Similar  proceedings  have  to  be  taken  in  the  case  of 
the  height  Ai  Ci.  It  is  all  plain  sailing  in  this  instance, 
as  one  has  r  ily  to  mark  off  intervals  of  -)4  inch  all  the 
way  down  from  Ai  and  Bi  and  join  up.  Note  that  at 
the  bottom  a  narrow  space  should  occur,  corresponding 
with  that  at  the  bottom  of  the  original.  To  simplify 
matters,  number  the  divisions  on  the  original,  and 
copy  in  some  such  manner  as  here  shown,  where  /  in 
Fig,  126  corresponds  with  i  in  Fig.  127,  2  with  2,  a 
with  a,  d  with  b,  and  so  on. 

We  are  now  ready  for  transferring  the  drawing,  the 
process  being  similar  to  that  one  learns  at  school  for 
copying  maps.  Every  point  where  a  line  in  the 
original  crosses  either  a  horizontal  or  vertical  line,  can 
be  located  on  the  copy  with  absolute  precision,  and 
when  a  number  of  such  points  have  been  found,  can 
be  readily  joined  up  by  freehand  drawing.  Take  the 
case  of  the  piint  marked  :;  (near  the  bottom  of  Fig. 
126).  This  point  marks  a  place  where  the  drawing 
crosses  both  a  vertical  and  horizontal  line  at  their 
intersection.  Following  the  lines  along,  they  will  be 
found  to  be  No.  36  (horizontal)  and  c  (vertical). 
Turning  to  Fig.  127,  the  intersection  of  36  and  c  is 
easily  found,  and  a  dot  should  be  made  there,  ::.  The 
next  point  on  the  curve  of  the  leaf  to  which  we  are 
paying  attention  is  on  line  35,  at  y;  this  is  approxi- 
mately half-way  between  vertical  lines  d  and  c,  and  a 
similar  position  half-way  between  d  and  c  on  line  35  in 
Fig.  127  can  easily  be  found;  it  is  marked  j.  In  the 
same  way  the  points  x,  w,  v,  u  are  transferred  to  the 


'n^m.  -  '•mmm^^m,J<  "m^ 


222 


PRACTICAL  WOOD  CARVING 


larj^fiT  drawing;;,  where  they  are  marked  by  correspond- 
ing; letters,  and  so  on,  rijjht  throiij^h  the  desi|;n. 

It  will  be  foiuul  the  best  plan  to  sketch  in  each  leaf 
or  similar  small  portion  of  the  design  as  soon  as  the 
points  markinj;  its  position  have  been  fixed.  This  will 
avoid  the  confusion  likely  to  occur  if  a  larfje  area  is 
covered  with  dots,  which  will  tend  to  become  meanins;- 
less.  Thus  the  leaf  marked  out  may  be  sketched  in 
quite  regardless  of  the  other  leaves,  stalks,  etc.,  sur- 
rounding it.  At  the  top  of  the  drawing  the  finished 
design  IS  given,  and  it  will  be  seen  how  closely  this 
copies  by  the  original,  from  which  it  was  taken 
precisely  by  this  method. 

It  is  not  generally  imperative  that  absolute  accuracy 
should  be  observed  in  copying;  consequently  the  little 
differences  due  to  slight  aberrations  of  the  hand  when 
sketching  in  will  by  no  means  mar  the  work.  The 
unpracticed  amateur  will  do  well  to  follow  the  direc- 
tions given  implicitly,  but  he  will  find  in  time  that  it 
is  quite  easy  to  do  without  marking  any  points  on  his 
enlarged  drawing,  simply  drawing  freehand,  watching 
the  original  with  one  eye  and  the  copy  with  the  other, 
as  it  were.  In  this  way  a  copy  can  be  made  with  a 
very  near  approximation  to  accuracy  and  very  quickly, 
all  that  is  necessary  being  close  attention  to  three 
lines— the  drawing  and  the  upright  and  horizontal 
lines. 

While  all  the  above  may  be  very  clear  in  the  com- 
paratively simple  instance  given,  a  number  of  slight 
variations  may  arise  which  are  sure  to  puzzle  a 
beginner.  Suppose,  instead  of  an  enlargement  of 
this  simple  kind,  where  the  small  drawing  is  to  the 
large  m  the  proportion  of  one  to  three,  that  the  larger 
is  no  definite  multiple  of  the  other.     To  state  a  case, 


^ssssiSm 


:-i?L_  '■  ?a; 


S^*«i4^    -  ''lap*-^ 


FIGURE  CARVLXG 


223 


we  can  imagine  the  worker  to  have  a  panel  of  suitahh- 
proportions  to  take  the  design  (Fig.  125).  only  that  it 
happens  to  be,  say,  4,»«  inches  wide.     All   he  has   to 
do  IS   to  divide  the  width   int.    eight  equal  parts,  by 
means  of  the  dividers,  taking  no  notice  of  what  the 
actual   widths  are  on  a  scale  (4/'«  -.  8  =  ,Y.,  an  amount 
vhich  could  never  be  marked  off  with  an  ordinary  rule 
with  accurac)').     In  this  case  the  best  way  to  mark  off 
the  vertical  heights  would  be  to  stretch  the  legs  of  the 
dividers  accurately  to  the  full  width  of  the  board  (4i«, 
inches)  and  mark  off  that  amount  all  the  way  down 
each   side.     Then  close  up  the   dividers  to  am-  space 
width  and  mark  off  each  of  the  long  divisions   into 
eight  parts.     If  the  small  spacing  is  marked  off  with 
the  dividers   right  away  down    the   side  without   the 
larger  spacings   to  guide  one,  errors  are  apt  to  creep 
m  and  even  to  get  multiplied  as  the  marking  proceeds 
If  the  side  A  C  (Fig.  126)  has  been  divided  up  into 
any  given   numbers  of  parts,  so  that  these  spaces  are 
nonhc  same  as  those  along  A  B,  all  that  need  be  done 
IS  to  divide  up  the  sides  of  the  board  into  a  similar 
number  of  equal    parts,   ignoring    the  spacing  (A   B) 
altogether. 

It  has  been  tacitly  assumed  in  the  above  that  the 
enlarged  drawing  was  strictly  proportionate  to  the 
other,  both  in  width  and  length.  It  may,  however, 
sometimes  occur  that  the  reader  notes  a  design  which 
he  particularly  desires  to  employ  in  filling  a  given 
space,  which  is  a  little  too  long  or  too  wide  for  strict 
proportion.  He  must,  of  course,  decide  whether  the 
disproportion  is  too  violent,  as  it  would  never  do  to 
enlarge  a  drawing  like  Fig.  125  to,  sav,  twice  the 
width  and  three  times  the  length;  vet  it  would  h- 
reasonable  to  enlarge  it  to  4  inches  in  width  and  20^ 


SWSLH»W*/*l, 


224 


PRACTICAL  WOOD  CARVING 


inches  in  length,  and  few  would  be  able  to  discover 
the  discrepancy.  To  do  this,  it  is  necessary  to  divide 
up  the  long  side,  A  B  in  Fig.  126,  not  into  eighths,  but 
into  any  equal  parts,  and  then  to  divide  the  20^4  inches 
into  the  "ame  number  of  parts.  In  the  present  case 
those  on  A  H  will  be  slightly  more  than  }4  inch  each; 
the  subsequent  marking  oft  will  finish  the  design. 

We  have  hitherto  spf'';cn  of  carving  in  basso-relievo 
merely  from  a  secular  point  of  view,  as  works  of  art 
or  embellishment  of  a  room.  But  this  style  enter; 
also  largely  into  ecclesiastical  ornamentation,  and 
there  are  few  finer  subjects  for  the  carver's  skill  than 
an  altar  piece,  reredos,  or  panels  of  a  like  nature. 
This,  however,  is  not  the  place  (nor,  indeed,  is  it 
within  the  limit  we  have  given  ourselves)  to  enter  into 
details  as  regards  this  speciil  style  of  work.  Those 
of  our  readers  who  intend  to  turn  their  attention  to 
this  branch  of  that  art  would  do  well  before  they 
undertake  any  work  of  this  kind  to  consult  with  an 
architect,  or  some  one  well  versed  in  such. matters 
(unless  he  has  studied  the  subject  himself),  and  to  pro- 
cure a  slight  sketch  of  the  style  and  proportions  best 
suited  to  the  church  which  he  proposes  to  decorate,  in 
order  that  his  work  may  amalgamate  with  the  age  and 
architecture  of  the  edifice. 

As  this  book  is  intended  purely  as  a  guide  to  begin- 
ners, those  designs  have  been  chosen  which  we  consider 
as  especially  suited  to  this  class,  rather  than  to  the 
professional  carver,  and  for  this  reason  we  have  con- 
fined ourselves  to  drawings  and  description  of  such 
subjects  as  the  amateur  can  execute  without  the  inter- 
vention of  much  professional  help  from  the  cabinet- 
maker. 

The  main  object  of  the  beginners  should  be  to  pro- 


f- 


S^^aiaSM 


FIGURE   CARVING 


225 


duce  artistic  work  in  which  the  mere  expense  is 
secondary  and  kept  in  abeyance  to  pure  art.  With 
this  idea  in  view  he  will  have  a  chance  of  excelling, 
and  possibly  of  designing  and  executing  original  work, 
but  this  he  cannot  hope  to  do  if  he  merely  follow  in 
the  foot^'eps  and  copies,  however  faithfully  and  skill- 
fully, the  works  of  professional  furniture  carvers,  who, 
with  the  advantage  of  constant  practice,  combined 
with,  perhaps,  a  long  apprenticeshi[)  in  a  large  work- 
shop, will  be  sure  to  surpass  the  amateur  in  the  manu'i' 
part  of  this  work,  however  gifted  the  latter  may  be. 
In  all  employments  the  professional  must  work  in  such 
a  manner  and  on  such  subjects  as  will  ensure 
good  and  certain  wages,  and  not  according  to  his  own 
special  taste.  The  learner  has  probably  ample  time  at 
command  and  therefore  should  give  full  scope  to  his 
own  artistic  fancies  instead  of  reproducing  other  peo- 
ple's ideas,  for  it  is  to  him  that  we  must  look  for 
inventiveness  and  imagination.  Let  him  then  follow 
his  own  special  line,  feeling  assured  that  what  of  skill 
may  be  wanting  is  more  than  compensated  by  natural 
talent,  exceeding  probably  by  many  degrees  the  pro- 
fessional carver  who  pursues  the  calling  not  from  any 
special  predilection,  but  solel\-  through  circumstances 
or  necessities. 

We  now  come  to  the  (]uest!on.  what  are  we  going  to 
do  with  all  the  pieces  of  carving  which  we  propose  to 
undertake? 

There  is  no  more  inexorable  law  relating  to  the  use 
of  wood  carving  than  the  one  which  insists  upon  some 
kind  of  passport  for  its  introduction,  wherever  it 
appears.  It  must  come  in  good  company  and  be 
properly  introduced.  The  slightest  and  mnst  distant 
connection  with  a  recognized  sponsor  is  often  sufficient, 


til 


« 


■iF^fPH 


ifi 


226 


PRACTICAL  WOOD  CARVING 


but  it  will  not  be  received  alone.  We  do  not  make 
carvings  to  rang  on  a  wall  and  be  admired  altogether 
on  their  own  account.  They  must  decorate  some 
object.  A  church  screen,  a  font,  a  piece  of  furniture, 
or  even  the  handle  of  a  knife  It  is  not  always  an  easy 
matter  to  find  suitable  objects  upon  which  to  exercise 
our  wood  carving  talents.  Our  furniture  is  all  made 
now  in  a  wholesale  manner  which  permits  of  no 
interference  with  its  construction,  while  at  the  3ame 
time,  if  we  wish  to  put  any  carving  upon  it,  it  is 
absolutely  essential  that  both  construction  and  decora- 
tion should  be  considered  together. 

A  very  modest  beginning  may  be  made  in  adapting 
ornament  to  a  useful  article,  by  carving  the  surface  of 
a  bread  plate.  These  are  usually  made  of  some  hard 
wood,  such  as  sycamore.  They  may  be  made  of  oak, 
but  sycamore  has  the  advantage  in  its  lighter  color, 
which  is  more  likely  to  be  '<ept  clean.  A  good  sug- 
gestion is  given  in  Fig.  128  jT  carving  appropriate  to 
this  purpose.  The  essentials  are,  that  there  should  be 
a  well-defined  pattern^  simple  in  construction  and  as 
effective  as  possible  with  little  labor;  that  there  should 
be  little  or  no  rounding  of  surface,  the  design  con- 
sisting of  gouge  cuts  and  incisions  arranged  to  express 
the  pattern.  The  incisions  may  form  a  regular  sunk 
ground,  but  it  should  not  be  deep,  or  it  will  not  be  eas- 
ily kept  clean.  Then,  as  in  cutting  bread  the  knife 
comes  in  contact  with  the  surface,  no  delicate  work  is 
advisable;  a  large  treatment  with  broad  surfaces,  and 
some  plam  spaces  left  to  protect  the  carved  work,  is 
likely  to  prove  satisfactory  in  every  way.  A  piece 
of  sycamore  should  be  procured  ready  for  carving; 
this  may  be  got  from  a  wood  turner,  but  it  will  be 
as  well   to  give  him  a  drawing,  on  which  is  shown  the 


■*M 


'>*. 


,iy 


■\-%:^^'*^. 


FIGURE   CARVING 


22; 


section  of  edge  and  the  position  of  all  turned  lines 
required  for  confinin;,'  the  dra\vin^^  If  the  plate  is  to 
be  of  any  shape  other  than  circular,  then  it  must  he 
neatly  made  by  yourself. 

Many  of  you  are,  we  have  no  doubt,  handy  joiners, 
and  may  be  able  to  put  together  some  pieces  of 
furniture  to  serve  at  least  as  an  excuse  for  the  intro- 


FiG.  128. 

duction  of  your  carving.  Here  are  some  suggestions 
for  corner  cupboards,  chosen  as  giving  the  largest  area 
for  carved  surface  with  the  minimum  of  expense  in 
construction.  The  material  should  be  oak,  if  possible, 
or  it  may  be  walnut.  The  doors  of  Figs.  129  and  130 
are  in  three  narrow  boards  with  shallow  beads  at  the 
joints,  those  of  the  others  are  each  made  of  i  single 
board  and  should  be  /.   to  H  inch  thick;  the  doors 


228 


PRACTICAL   WOOD   CARVING 


may  l)e  about    '  feet  6  inches  high,  each  having  two 
ledges,  about  3   inches  wide,   screwed  on  behind  lop 


mi 


<tqQ.«<fc^«Qri 


\/^\b^ ^^  >Si^  /gV>X:^ 


JBa/^ 


Fig.  i2g. 


Fig.  130. 


WM 


FIGURK   CARXING 


229 


and  bottom  to  keep  them  from  twistinfj.     All  mould- 
ings, beads,  etc.,  are  to  be  carved  by  hand,  no  planes 


Fig.  131 


230 


PRACTICAL  WOOD  CARVING 


..cing  used.  lla\  inji  traced  the  lines  of  your  design 
iipDii  the  board,  you  may  be^in,  if  there  are  mould- 
m^s,  as  in  Fig.  13 1,  In-  using  a  joiner's  marking  gau.,'c 
to  groove  out  the  deepest  parts  of  the  parallel  lines  .a 
the  mouldings  along  tiie  edges,  doing  the  same  to  the 
curvetl  ones  with  a  \'  tool  or  veiner.  Then  form  the 
mouldings  with  your  chisels  or  gouges.  Keep  them 
very  ''at  in  section,  as  in  Fig.  133. 

The  fret  jiatterns  in  Figs.  131,  133  and  134,  where  not 
pierced,  should  be  done  in  low  relief,  not  more  than 
}i  inch  ileep,  and  the  sides  of  the. bands  beveled  as  in 
section  a.  Fig.  132.  The  widths  of  these  bands  ought 
not  to  be  less  than  ^  inch,  and  look  better  if  they  are 
wider.     Very  narrow  bands  have  a  better  appearance 

<-CA«vinc 

Figs.   132  a.nd  133. 

if,  instead  of  being  cut  straight  down,  they  are 
hollowed  at  sides  like  b  in  Fig.  1 32. 

Fig.  136  is  a  detail  of  a  kind  of  gouge  work  which 
you  must  know  very  well.  One  perpendiculai  cut  of 
a  gouge  driven  in  with  the  mallet,  and  one  side  cut, 
should  form  one  of  these  crescent  or  thimble-shaped 
holes.  They  should  not  be  too  deep  in  proportion  to 
their  size.  Their  combinations  may  be  varied  to  a 
great  extent.  Two  or  three  common  ones  are  shown 
in  the  illustration.  This  form  of  ornament  was  in  all 
likelihood  invented  by  some  ingenious  carpenter  with 
a  turn  lor  art  and  a  limited  stock  of  tools  for  carving. 
His  humble  contribution    to     the    resources    of    the 


FIGURE  CARVING 


r<r*«** 


A^AVAVA^AV 
VAVAVAVAWA 

A 


Fig.  134. 


Fig.  135. 


25^ 


PRACTICAI,  \V{)(^r)  CARVING 


carver's  art  has  rcccivid  its  tint-  share  of  the  flattery 
which  is  iinpliiil  by  imitation.  In  all  these  patterns 
it  is  Will  to  reini'ni!)er  that  tin-  flat  surface  of  the  hoard 
ii  ft  Ix'twi-en  the  cuts  Is  really  the  imp(>rtant  thin^;  to 
cunsiilir.  as  all   varirty  is  ohtainitl  hy  disposinj,'  the 

CL€l<L€L<L 

Pattern 

THIMBUE 
PATTEf^M 
ARAANOCD 
TO  Pf^ODUCE 
WAVCD  UINES 


<3  cx  €3;  <x 

^;^    ^;^  PATTERN 

^"7^    ^^r"  vs/avb"  pattern 

Fig.  136. 


'i-i. 


FIGUKK  CA;      [VG 


233 


holes  in  such  a  way  as  to  prod  .  I'l-.-  patt.rn  r(."quirccl 
by  means  of  their  outlines  or  '  f.  in  surface.  Thu  , 
waved  lin.  s  are-  produced  as  'u  I  ^r.  ,3^,,  atid  little 
niches  like  mimic  architecture  ., .  ,!,  i-i^.  137,  hy  the 
addition  of  the  triantjular-shai)e,l  holes  at  the  top  and 
the  splayed  sills  at  th''  bottom.  (It  is  (ibvious  th  r  in 
arran^'ement  like  the  latier  should  never  be  turned 
upside  down.)  If  this  attention  to  the  surface  pattern 
IS  nef,dected  th<.'  holts  are  apt  to  become  nvre  confusefl 
and  meaningless  spots. 

In  small  pieces  of  furniture  like  these,  which  are 
made  of  comparatively  thin  wood,  the  carvinj^'  need  not 
have  much  depth,  say  the  ground  is  sunk  >4:  inch  at 
the  deepest.  As  oak  is  more  tenacious  than  pine,  you 
wil!  find  -  i.Tter  fr<edom  in  working  it.  although  it  is 
so  mud.  h  ir-ie-r  to  cut.  Vou  may  find  it  nec':ssar\  to 
use  the  mallet  for  the  greater  part  of  the  blocking  out, 
but  ''t  need  not  be  much  used  in  finishing.  A  series 
of  fhort  strokes  driven  by  g<ntie  tai)s  of  the  mallet 
will  often  make  a  better  curve  than  if  the  same  is 
attempted  without  its  aid. 

It  will  be  well  now  to  procure  the  remainder  of  Lhe 
set  of  twenty-four  tools  if  you  have  not  already  got 
them,  as  they  will  be  required  for  the  foliage  we  are 
about  to  attempt.  The  deep  gouges  are  especially 
useful;  having  two  different  sweeps  on  each  tool,  they 
adapt  themielves  to  hollows  which  change  in  section 
as  they  advance. 

Fig.  131  contains  very  little  foliage,  such  as  there  is 
being  disposed  in  small  diamond  shaped  spaces,  sunk 
in  the  face  of  the  doors,  and  a  small  piece  on  the 
bracket  below  All  this  work  should  be  of  a  very 
simple  character,  definite  in  turm  and  broad  in 
treatment. 


234 


PRACTICAL  WOOD  CARVING 


Fig.  138  is  more  elabornte,  but  on  much  the  same 
lines  of  design,  varied  by  having  a  larger  space  filled 
with  groups  of  leaves.  Fig.  137  gives  the  carving  to  a 
larger  scale;  in  it  the  oak  leaves  arc  shown  with  raised 
veins  in  the  center,  the  others  being  merely  indicated 


SECTION  «L  SECTIOfM     b 

CARVINC  IN  PANELS 

Fig.   137. 


■■ir 


■* 


FIGURE  CARVING 


235 


by  the  gouge  hollows.  There  is  some  attempt  in  this 
at  a  more  natural  mode  of  treating  the  foliage.  While 
3uch  work  is  being  carved,  it  is  well  to  look  now  and 
then  at  the  natural  forms  themselves  (oak  and  laurel 
in  this  case),  in  order  to  note  their  characteristic 
features,  and  as  a  wholesome  check  on  the  dangers  of 
mannerism. 

It  is  a  general  axiom  founded  upon  the  evidence  of 
past  work,  and  a  respect  for  the  laws  of  construction 
in    the    carpenter's    department,     that    when    foliage 
appears  in  panels  divided  by  plain  spaces  it  should 
never  be  made  to  look  as  if  \\.  grciv  from  one  panel  into 
the  other,  with  the  suggestion  of  boughs  passing  behind 
the  solid  parts.     This  is  a  characteristic  of  Japanese 
work  and  may,  perhaps,   be  admirable  when   used   in 
delicate  painted  decorations  on  a  screen  or  other  light 
furniture,   but  in   carvings    it   disturbs    the    effect   of 
solidity  in  the  materials,  and  serves  no  purpose  which 
cannot  be  attained  in  a  much  better  way.     Expedients 
have  been  invented  to  overcome  the  difficulty  of  mak- 
ing a  fresh  start  in  each  panel,  one  of  which  is  shown 
in  Fig.  137,  where  the  beginning  of  the  bough  is  hidden 
under  a  .leaf.     It  is  presumable  that  the  bough  7nay  go 
on  behind   the   uncarved    portions   of    the   board,    to 
reappear  in  another  place,  but  we  need  not  insist  upon 
the  fanc)',  which  loses  all  its  power  when  attention  is 
called  to  it,  like  riddles  when  the  answer  is  known. 

In  Fig.  134,  like  the  last,  the  treatment  is  somewhat 
realistic.  This  is  shown  to  a  larger  scale  in  Fig.  140. 
Nevertheless,  it  has  all  been  "arranged"  to  fit  its 
allotted  space,  and  all  accidental  elements  eliminated; 
such,  for  instance,  as  leaves  disappearing  in  violent 
perspective,  or  even  turned  sidcwise,  and  ail  minute 
details   which   would    not    be    likely    to    show    con- 


WMSm^KSTiiprr 


236 


PRACTICAL  WOOD  CARVING 


spicuously  if  carved  in  wood.  Pig.  141  is  a  detail 
copied  from  nature,  but  which  might  stand  without 
alteration  provided  it  formed  part  of  a  work  delicate 


Fig.  139, 


-:wv.  -aMBflajMJiiy^'^nfa^a.K^gTBBgs---^  ^ 


FIGURE  CARVING 


237 


enough  to  note  such  close  elaboration  in  so  small  a 
space.  This,  of  course,  would  entirely  depend  upon 
the  purpose  for  which  the  carving  was  intended,  and 
\yhether  it  was  meant  for  distant  view  or  close  inspec- 
tion. As  there  is  arrangement  necessary  in  forming 
the  outline,  so  there  is  just  as  much  required  in 
designing  the  articulation  of  the  surfaces  of  the  leaves. 


I  II.   I'^wJifjtj^tWiv^f/iij^jKin 


Fig.  140. 

which  should  be  so  treated  that  their  hollows  fall  into 
a  semblance  of  some  kind  of  pattern. 

Fig.  135  is  a  more  formal  design,  or,  to  use  a  very 
much  abused  word,  more  "conventional,"  in  which 
such  leafage  as  there  is  only  serves  the  purpose  of 
ornamental  points,  marking  the  divisions  of  the 
general  design.  The  gouge  work  upon  the  leaves 
should  be  of  the  simplest  description,  but  strict  atten- 


238  PRACTICAL  WOOD  CARVING 


lion  is  necessary  in  drawing  the  grooves  so  that  their 
forms  may  be  clear  and  emphatic,  leaving  no  doubt  as 
to  the  pattern  intended.     Designs  of  this  kind  have 

no  interest  whatever 
except    as  pieces  of 
patterned    work,    to 
which     end    every 
other     consideration 
should  be  sacrificed. 
It   must   not  be   cut 
too    deeply — say    ^ 
inch  at  the  deepest — 
and  the  sides  of  the 
panels  should  be  very 
gently  hollowed  out 
with  a  flattish  sweep 
(see  section   on  Fig. 
139),     in     order     to 
avoid  any  appearance 
of    actual    construc- 
tion in  what  more  or 
less    imitates     the 
stiles  and  rails  of   a 
door.    Fig.  139  shows 
a  portion  of  the  leaf- 
age to  a  larger  scale, 
and  also  a   plan    ex- 
plaining   the    con- 
struction of  all  these 
cupboards. 

Fig.  139  is  designed  upon  the  barest  suggestion  of 
natural  foliage,  the  wavy  stem  being  quite  flat,  and 
running  out  flush  into  the  flat  margins  at  the  sides, 
connecting  them    together.     The  leaves    in   this  case 


Fig.  141. 


i.^..^'JMi,.,  IL  i-«- 


fi?i"^wfn»if! 


iW 


m 


FIGURE  CARVING 


239 


Fig.  142. 


should  be  carved,  leaving  the  veins  standing  solid; 
grooved  veins  would  have  a  meager  look  upon  such 
rudimentary  leaves.  Of  course  a  more  natural  treat- 
ment  may  be 
given  to  this  kind 
of  design,  but  in 
that  case  it  would 
require  to  be  car- 
ried all  over  the 
door  and  replace 
the  formally  or- 
namental center 
panel.  The 
pierced  pattern 
in  cresting  should 
be  done  as  al- 
ready described. 

Fig.  130  is  a  variant  on  the  .ast  design.  In  this  case 
a  little  more  play  of  surface  is  attempted,  making  a 
point  of  carving  the  side  lobes  of  the  leaves  into  little 
rounded  masses  which  will  reflect  points  of  light. 
This  is  shown  better  in  Fig.  142. 

In  carving  foliage  like  that  of  the  vine,  where  small, 
dark  holes  or  eyes  occur,  enough  wood  should  be  left 

round    them    to  form   deep, 

dark    little   pits.     They   are 

very    valuable    as   points  of 

shadow.     In  doing  this,  cut 

the  rim  all  round  with  a  very 

slight    bevel,  as    in  section. 

Fig.    143.     Whenever  leaves 

run  out  to  a  fine  edge  they  should  have  a  small  bevel  like 

this,  in  order  to  avoid  an  appearance  of  weakness  which  . 

acute  edges  always  present.    As  a  general  rule,  leave  as 


O&CTION 


a. .  a. 


Fig.    143. 


240  PRACTICAL  WOOD  CARVING 


FIGURE  CARVING 


241 


#. 


much  wood  as  possible  about  the  edges  of  leaves,  as  you 
want  shadow  from  them — dipping  them  only  where 
you  are  sure  the  variety  will  be  effective.  In  the 
execution  of 
bunches  of 
r  o  u  n  d  e  d 
forms  like 
grapes  there 
is  no  special 
mechanical 
exp«'dient  for 
doing  them 
quickly  and 
easily;  each 
must  be  cut 
out  separate- 
ly and  carved 
with  what- 
ever t  o  o  Is 
come  h  an- 
diest  to  their 
shape  and 
size.  It  is  a 
good  way  to 
begin  by  cut- 
ting triangu- 
lar hjles  be- 
tween  the 
grapes  with 
t^e  point  of  a 

small  chisel,  after  which  the  rough  shapes  left  may  grad- 
ually be  formed  into  ovals.  When  the  work  is  very  sim- 
ple in  character,  and  docs  not  require  a  realistic  treat- 
ment, the  grapes  may  be  done  in  a  more  methodical  way. 


Fig.  145. 


Miili 


242 


PRACTICAL  WOOD  CARVING 


Fig.  146, 


A  beautiful  ex- 
ample is  shown  in 
Fig.  144  of  a  slip 
of  ivy,  where  the 
three  stages  of 
drawing,  rough- 
out  and  finishing 
are  exhibited.  No. 

1  shows  the  slip 
sketched  out,  No. 

2  the  rough-out, 
D  D  D  D  showing 
the  stems  of  the 
leaves,  and  E  E  E 
the  berries.      No. 

3  shows  the  work 
about  complete. 

What  is  consid- 
ered by  experts  to 
be  one  of  the  most 
wonderful  wood 
carvings  in  the 
world,  and  which  is 
in  the  possession 
of  an  Italian  living 
in  Baltimore,  Md., 
is  shown  in  Fig. 
145.  He  brought  it 
to  this  country 
from  Italy,  where 
he  secured  it  from  a 
second-hand  deal- 
who  did  not 
know  of  its  value. 


FIGURE  CARVING 


=43 


I 


Fig.  146  shows  a  fine  specimen  of  carving,',  (he 
original  of  which  was  brought  from  Switzerland  by  a 
tourist.  This  is  an  excellent  piece  of  work,  and  is  quite 
natural  and  forms  a  suitable  finish  for  a  walking 
cane. 

Another  good  specimen  of  work  which  came  from 
the  same  place  is  illustrated  in  Fig.  147.  This  little 
bear,  a  few  inches  in  size,  is  carved  in  a  way  which 
shows    long    experience    of    the     subject    and    great 


Fig.  147. 

familiarity  with  the  animal's  ways.  The  tooling  of  the 
hair  is  done  with  the  most  extraordinary  skill,  and 
without  the  waste  of  a  single  touch.  Now  a  word  or 
two  more  on  studies  from  the  life  before  we  leave  this 
subject.  We  have  given  examples  of  diagrams  made 
for  this  purpose,  but  much  m.-^y  be  done  without  any 
drawings  further  than  a  preliminary  map  of  the 
general  masses.  In  the  case  of  such  an  animal  as  the 
horse,    which    can    be    seen    in  every  street,   it  will 


^^yiSiTivL^sr-tct 


244 


PRACTICAL  WOOD  CARVING 


Fig.  148. 


be    found    useful    to 
follow    them    in 
their   walks,    taking 
mental  note  of  such 
details  as  happen  to 
engage    your    atten- 
tion, such  as  the  lej]s 
and  joints,  the  heal 
or  neck;  another  day 
confine    your    atten- 
tion   to    eyes,    ears, 
mane,     etc.,    always 
with  reference  to  the 
work  immediately  in 
hand,  as  that  is  the 
time  to  get  the  best 
results    from    life 
study,     because    the 
difficulties  have  pre- 
s  e  n  t  e  d  themselves, 
and    one    knows  ex- 
actly  what    to    look 
for.       Five    minutes 
spent  thus  after  the 
work  has  been  started 
(provided    the    start 
has    been    right   and 
involves  no  mistakes 
in  the  general  masses) 
is  more  valuable  than 
hours     of     labor    in 
making    preliminary 
drawings. 

The  use  of  experi- 


mfE 


'rw 


FIGURE  CARVING 


245 


mental  models  in  clay  or  wax  has,  of  course,  Ul  advan- 
tages, hut  it  will  In-  wtll  to  know  just  how  far  such  an 
aid  is  valuable  and  at  what  point  its  use  becomes  hurt- 


Fic.  149. 


^t; 


i4f  '  ♦ 


246 


PRACTICAL  WOOD  CARVING 


Iff 


i 


li 


ful  to  one's  work.  It  is  a  common  practice  in  large 
carving  shops  for  one  man  to  design  the  figure  or 
animal  subjects  in  clay,  while  another  carves  them 
in  stone  or  wood. 

An  excellent  example  for  practice  is  shown  in  Fig. 
148,  which  exhibits  a  portion  of  an  oak  branch  showing 

complete  acorns, 
leaves,  stctn  and 
acorn  cups.  This 
could  be  continued 
fo'  a  border,  or  for 
the  face  of  a  picture 
ff  ime,  and  the  c«  ner 
.  ouldbemadeso  ihat 
e  design  would  be 
continuous. 

The  full-page  cie- 
sii  ^  of  grape  and 
Vhic  leaves.  Fig.  149, 
offers  a  fine  chance 
for  expert  li  ss  with 
tools.  The  prapes 
overlapping  each 
other  will  require 
some  skill  ii  wo'"k- 
ing  them  out,  and 
the  leaves  wi  '  also 
require  some  di .  icate 
h;aidling.  This  is  a 
beautiful  example 
and  ihmid  not  be  attempted  UiUil  the  young  work- 
man ha-  e  onfidence  in  his  own  ability  to  exo 
cute  it.  \r  .u.y  lale,  if  (he  workman  does  not  make 
a  satisiav,^;.     iob  of  it  on  the  first  attempt,  he  should 


Ftw,  150. 


Mil 


9 


IIGURE  CARVING 


?47 


not  be  discouraged,  hut  try  .igain  and  n^ain,  and  sue 
ct,s  will  surely  follow. 

The  ornament  shown  in  '"ig.  150  is  omposed  of 
mixed  work,  part  of  it  being  turn  'd  in  the  lathe,  part 
of  it  being  carved,  and  part  plain.  Moulded  work  of 
this  kind  is  often  made  very  beautitul  and  is  frequently 
employed  in  architectural  work. 


r 


H 
I -it- 


I 


r 


CHAPTER  VII 

INCISED,    INTAGLIO,    OR   SUNK    CARVING 

This  is  a  style  of  carving  sometimes  called  deep  carv- 
ing, and  by  workmen  often  called  "scratch  carving"; 
the  proper  name,  however,  is  "incised  work."  A  few 
years  ago  it  was  very  much  employed  on  furniture,  and 

with   very  good 


"  effect;  recently, 

however,   relief 

work    has   in   a 

-?  great  measure 

superseded    i  t , 

and  very  little  of  it  is  now 

employed. 

This  style  of  work  was 
at  one  time  extensively 
used  in  Italy,  and  many 
choice  specimens  have  come  down  to  us 
in  many  forms.  It  is  especially  adapted 
for  very  fine  work,  such  as  jewelry,  book 
covers  and  toilet  sets,  beautiful  speci- 
mens of  which  are  often  made  of  ebony, 

Fig    151  ^^^  °^^'  ^^^'  ^"^  °^  *^^  harder  woods, 

ivory  and  bone,  and  even  pearl. 
This  method  of  carving  is  very  likely  of  Egyptian 
origin,  as  it  was  used  by  the  monument  builders  in 
outlining  their  figures,  which  was  done  by  cutting  down 
perpendicularly  on  the  outside  and  leaving  the  inside 
edges  just  rounded  off  only,  while  the  inside  pattern 

248 


MMMMirinaiKi 


!»1:iM' 


iMiiili 


INCISED,   INTAGLIO,  OR  SUNK  CARVING  249 


was  not  cut  away  at  all.  This  peculiar  method  of 
cutting  the  groove  straight  on  one  side  and  rounding 
it  off  on  the  other  was  quite  effective  and  brought  out 
the  work  in  prominent  relief  and  shadow. 

This  kind  of  carving  is  sometimes  painted  in  the 
incisions  and  some- 
times varnished  or 
gilded,  which  im- 
proves the  work 
very  much.  White 
and  blue,  or  vermil- 
ion, is  sometimes 
employed  on  this 
kind  of  work  and 
when  properly  done 
makes  a  very  dainty 
finish,  but  black  or 
dark  brown  is  to  be 
preferred,  and  if 
gilded  in  the  grooves 
the  effect  is  quite 
charming. 

It  is  not  intended 
to  say  much  on  the 
subject  of  incised 
carving,  but  it  may 
not  be  out  of  place 
to  give  a  few  illus- 
trations and  sugges- 
tions on  the  subject, 
showing  what  may  be  done  and  how  to  do  it  so  that 
the  young  workman  may  have  something  to  work  at  by 
his  own  fireside  to  give  to  his  friends  if  he  feels  so 
disposed. 


SECTION 


Fig.  152. 


mmmm 


250 


PRACTICAL  WOOD  CARVING 


Figs.  151  and  152  arc  suggestions  for  a  book  cover, 
or  for  the  backs  of  a  blotting  case,  or  any  similar  work. 
The  material  is  quite  thin,  not  more  than  a  quarter  of 
an  inch  thick  at  the  most,  and  would  be  even  better 
thinner,  and  the  carving  is  very  shallow. 

In  making  book  covers,  it  is  not  necessary  to  make 
the  reverse  side  elaborate;  so  in  this  case  the  illustra- 
tion shown  in  Fig.  151  may  be  considered  the  reverse 
side,  which  only  exhibits  a   few  simple  incised  lines 
which  are  cut  with  a  parting  or  V  tool  principally. 
The  other  cover,   Fig.  152,  represents  a  conventional 
arrangement  of    ivy  leaves    surrounded  by  a  carved 
moulding,  and  with  a  shield  in  the  center  for  mono- 
gram or  crest.     It  may  be  carved  in  either  boxwood, 
sycamore,  or  fine-grained  walnut  wood.     Before  com- 
mencing the    carving  it    will    be  necessary  that  the 
corners  are  perfectly  square;  by  this  I  mean  that  the 
angles  are  right  angles,  and  the  object  of  this  is  to 
allow  the  cover,  when  finished,  to  be  properly  bound. 
The  wood  should  be  about  %  inch  in  thickness  for  the 
front   and  about  ^^  inch  thick  for  the  reverse  side. 
These  carved  covers  are,  in  binding,  inserted  into  a 
sort  of  panel,  and  books  or  blotting  pads  suitable  for 
carved  sides  require  to  be  specially  made.     The  best 
plan  is  to  send  the  sides  when  carved  to  a  practical 
bookbinder  to  fit  on  the  book  when  binding.     This  de- 
f.ign,  like  many  others,  may  easily  be  enlarged  to  suit 
£ny  sized  book.   -The  general  working  and  treatment 
of  this  pattern  will  be  in  every  respect  similar  to  others 
described  in  this  book,  and  the  groundwork  may  either 
be  punched  or  left  plain  at  the  discretion  of  the  work- 
man.    We    would,    however,    call    attention    to    the 
veining    of    the   leaves.     Of    course,    in    natural    ivy 
leaves  there  are  five  principal  veins  with  innumerable 


wssf^mmm 


KJ      ^ 


B 


V 

c 


INCISED,    INTAGLO    OR  SUNK  CARVING  251 

smaller  veins  branchinjj  out  from  th-  rr  bat  in  carving 
it  is  sufficient  to  show  the  principal  vtins  onjy,  and  for 
variety  some  of  these  juay  be  lefi  raised— as  in  the 
natural  leaf— and  the  olhers  cut  in  with  a  very  small 
veiner.  The  tendrils  shown  in  the  sketch  are  simply 
intended  to  be  incised  lines  only,  rnd  not  carved  in 
relief  like  the  rest  of  the  design.  Tiie  moulding  round 
the  outside  of  the  cover  is  sufkiently  defined  in  the 
illustration  and  needs  no  further  explanation. 

We  may  now  give  a  brief  explanation  as  10  the 
methods  '  -ployed  and  tools  an.'  materials  required 
for  executing  fine  small  work  in  art 
articles  or  fancy  jewelry,  such  as 
earrings,  bracelets,  brooches  and 
similar  work.  These  things  may  be 
carved  from  ebony,  bog  oak,  box- 
wood, lancewood,  or  our  own  iron- 
wood  or  hornbeam.  These  woods 
may  be  procured  in  our  large  cities 
from  dealers  in  fret  saw  and  ama- 
teur goods  generally. 

The  tools  for  t'^is  kind  of  work  require  to  be  special 
and  may  have  to  be  home-mad»:  if  they  cannot  be  pro- 
cured fxL  a  dealer.  It  is  much  better  to  buy  them 
than  to  make  :hem,  when  it  is  possible  to  do  so.  In 
F'&-  153  I  give  a  sketch  of  the  sizes  and  sweeps  of  a 
few  of  the  tools  that  will  be  found  most  useful,  but  in 
addition  a  very  small  parting  or  V  tool  and  the  small- 
est obtainable  veiner  will  be  required.  Great  care 
must  be  taken  in  having  the  tools  sharp,  for  if  not 
sharp  good  work  is  impossible.  Another  very  useful 
tool  is  called  a  "macaroni,"  and  is  frequently  used 
for  showing  raised  veins  or  foliage,  etc.  The  cutting 
edge  is  shown  at  C,  Fig.  153,  being  three  sides  of  a 


U  V 

C     ^     D 

TOOLS  FOREBONY  WORK." 
ACTUAL  SIZE. 

A,  Straipht  Tools ;  B,  Bent 
Tool*  J  C,  Maccaronij 
P.  Veiner;  E,  Partinj 
Tool 

Fig.  153. 


bS^MM 


f- 


I 


252  PRACTICAL  WOOD  CARVING 

square.  This  tool  requires  great  care  in  sharpening, 
but  will  be  found  a  most  useful  tool  when  in  proper 
order.  ' 

VVc  give  illustrations  of  a  set  of  jewelry  consisting 
of  a  brooch  and  earrings,  having  for  their  decoration 
motive  the  ivy  leaf.  The  ebony  or  other  material  for 
these  designs  should  be  planed  to  the  thickness  of 
about  a  quarter  of  an  inch,  unless  it  is  desired  to  make 
the  work  appear  in  very  bold  relief,  when  an  additional 
^-.,^^_^  one-eighth   of  an   inch 

r^^*^  ^"»*^  would  be  required.     A 

piece     of     ihin     white 
paper  should  be  pasted 
on   the    work   and   the 
outline    to   be  fret  cut, 
as  in    Fig.    154,  traced 
upon    it.     After    being 
fret-cut,  glue  down  the 
ebony    to    a    piece    of 
pine,  taking  care  to  in- 
sert between  the  ebony  ani  the  pine  a  piece  of  brown 
paper.     The  outline  of  the  whole  design  should  now  be 
tra  :ed  on  the  face  of  the  broo       and  the  superfluous 
wood  cut  away,  and  the  backg.  .und  regulated  with  a 
smaller  router  so  as  to  be  of  uniform  depth.     In  setting 
in  the  outlines,  care  must  be  taken  not  to  undercut  the 
leaves.     When  this  is  done,  use  a  quick  tool  to  rough 
111  the  leaves  and  to  show  the  course  of  the  stem,  after- 
wards regulating  the  outlines  of  the  leaves,  finishing 
the  twist  of  each  leaf  and  giving  a  rough  appearance  to 
the  stem.     Although  it  is  impossible  to  exactly  imitate 
the  natural  leaf  and  stem,  still  the  chief  characteristics 
should  be  preserved,  and  the  amateur  will  find  it  con- 
venient to  have  a  few  of  the  natural  ivy  leaves  before 


u 


Ib4- 


INCISED,    INTAGLIO,  OR  SUNK  CARVING  253 


Fig.  155. 


him.  The  rough  appearance  is  given  to  the  stem  by 
means  of  the  veiner,  parting  tool  and  a  small  flat  tool. 
The  next  thing  to  do  is  to  punch  the  groundwork, 
regulate  the  fret-cut 
outlines  of  the  design 
and  put  in  the  neces- 
sary veins  of  the  leaves. 
The  brooch  can  now 
be  taken  up  and  the 
glue  cleaned  off  the 
back.  The  edges  of  the 
leaves  require  to  be 
chamfered  from  the 
back,  and  the  stem 
rounded  off,  when  we  may  consider  the  brooch  to  be 
finished,  so  far  as  the  carving  is  considered.  Ebony 
should  not,  except  in  very  few  instances,  be  polished,  as 
it  takes  an  excellent  gloss  if  smartly  brushed  with  a  hard 
brush  which  has  been  slightly  moist- 
ened with  boiled  linseed  oil.  The  ear- 
rings are  carved  in  exactly  the  same 
way,  and  both  can  be  fret-cut  at  once 
by  gluing  together  and  marking  the 
outline  upon  the  upper  one  only.  It 
must  be  noticed,  however,  that  they  be 
carved  in  pairs. 

The  fitting  up  of  the  brooch  and  ear- 
rings. Figs.  155  and  156,  had  better  be 
left  to  a  jeweler,  although  the  amateur 
can  easily  do  what  is  necessary  if  he 
feels  so  disposed.  The  brooch  pins  and 
catches  can  be  bought  for  a  few  cents  (but  they  should 
be  of  gold  or  silver)  from  any  working  jeweler,  and 
with  the  small  veiner  the  amateur  -an  make  the  holes 


Fig.   156. 


-.^s-^,^...w=,..;'..:.„.,. 


f-( 


254 


PRACTICAL  WOOD  CARVING 


in  the  back  of  the  brooch  to  admit  the  pins  of  the 
catch.  A  little  powdered  shellac  should  be  sprinkled 
in  the  holes,  and  the  pins  heated  in  the  gas  and  then 
placed  in  position,  when,  owing  to  the  melting  of  the 
shellac,  they  will  be  firmly  fixed. 

Very  little  trouble  will  be  experienced,  we  think,  by 
the  amateur  in  making  these  brooches,  etc.,  from 
ebony;  the  only  disadvantage  is  that  the  wood  is  rather 

brittle,  but  it  works  firmly 
under  the  tool.  Often 
ebony  brooches,  earrings, 
crosses,  etc.,  are  sold  for 
bog  oak  or  jet;  boxwood 
and  other  close-grained 
woods  are  sometimes  dyed 
black  and  sold  for  ebony, 
bog  oak  and  jet. 

In  making  bracelets  the 
same  rules  may,  to  a  large 
extent,  be  followed,  only 
in  this  case  it  is  best  to 
prepare  the  wood  in  slips 
of  the  requisite  width  both 
for  the  centerpieces  and 
for  the  small  blocks  com- 
posing the  remainder  of  the  bracelet.  After  cutting 
these  slips,  they  should  be  planed  slightly  hollow  on 
the  inside,  and  the  sides  also  planed  so  as  to  fit  closely 
together,  and  then  cut  into  lengths  rather  longer  than 
the  width  of  the  bracelet. 

These  blocks  can  now  be  glued  on  a  circular  piece  of 
pine  the  size  of  the  inside  of  the  bracelet,  and  the 
edges  and  outside  regulated  in  a  turning  lathe  until  the 
proper  thickness  and  width    is  obtained;    and  if  the 


CARVED  EBONY  BRACELET: 

A,  Bnc«let  complete.   B,  Centre. 
C,  Side  piece. 

Fig.  157. 


INCISED,    INTAGLIO,  OR  SUNK  CARVING  255 


i 


bracelet  is  to  be  carved  in  relief,  the  depth  of  the 
background  can  also  be  indicated. 

In  the  case  cf  the  centerpieces,  it  is  not  of  much  use 
to  regulate  the  edges  of  these,  as  they  will  probably  be 
of  an  oval  shape  and  must  be  cut  with  the  saw  and  filed 
true  before  being  carved.  The  design  can  now  be 
carved  on  the  small  blocks,  which,  when  finished,  will 
require  two  small  holes  bored  through  each  piece,  as 
shown  at  a  a.  Fig, 


157,  and  these 
holes  can  easily  be 
bored  in  the  lathe. 
In  the  Case  of  the 
centerpiece,  these 
holes  should  be 
countersunk  in  or- 
der to  admit  of  the 
knots  01  the  small 
round  elastic  on 
which  the  blocks 
are  threaded  and 
which  serve  to 
keep  the  bracelet 
together.  To  en- 
sure  uniformity, 
the  holes  should 
all  be  bored  at  equal  distances.  After  this  has 
been  done  the  bracelet  may  be  considered  com- 
plete. 

The  ornamentation  may  consist  either  of  a  relieved 
design,  or  the  centerpiece  only  may  be  in  relief,  and 
the  remainder  of  the  pattern  maybe  incised,  as  in  Fig. 
157.  It  is  a  mistake  to  make  these  bracelets  too 
heavy,  but  the  size  must,  of  course,  be  left  to  the 


Section  along  A  A. 
example  of  incised  wobk. 
Fig.  158. 


Mm  i 


256 


PRACTICAL  WOOD  CARVING 


it- 


individual  fancy  of  the  amateur,  as  the  design  here 
given  is  only  offered  as  a  suggestion. 

Other  articles  of  personal  ornament  may  be  carved  in 
ebony,  such  as  pins  for  the  hair,  buttons,  etc.,  but  in 
every  case  it  is  better  to  leave  the  wood  dull  and  not 
brightly  polished. 

We  will  now  give  a  few  directions  for  the  incised 
work  which  will  be  of  greater  service  to  all  amateur 
wood  carvers  than  the  previous  exam- 
ples. This  style  of  decoration  consists 
in  the  design  being  simply  incised,  or 
in  first  incising  the  lines  round  the 
object  and  then  carving  the  surface 
within  to  correspond  with  the  various 
parts  of  the  design.  The  ground  is 
thus  left  standing  and  the  object  sunk 
below  the  level  of  the 
ground,  although  the 
surface  of  the  orna- 
ment itself  is 
carved,  an 
example  o  f 
which  is  seen 
in  Fig.  158, 
the  surface  of 
the  design 
being  indi- 
cated by  the 
section  along 
the  line  A  A. 
Incised  work  is  suitable  for  a  variety  of  articles  used 
in  indoor  decoration,  and  is  often  applied  most 
effectively  to  the  ornamentation  of  piano  fronts, 
furniture  of  every  description,  brackets    and  picture 


Fig.  159. 


INCISED,   INTAGLIO,  OR  SUNK  CARVING  257 


IS    easy 
of    the 


to  do,   needing  only  a 
tools,    combined    with 


frames.  The  work 
thorough  command 
delicacy  of  touch  and 
a  good  eye  for  grace- 
ful lines,  the  manual 
labor  required  being 
absolutely  nil,  and 
nearly  any  design  is 
applicable. 

Incised  work  may 
also  be  done  in  any 
wood,  the  incised 
portion  being  left  of 
the  natural  color  of 
the  wood,  or  stained. 
The  first  process  is 
to  stain  and  polish 
the  wood;  the  design 
is  then  marked  on  the 
surface  and  the  in- 
cised portion  cutout, 
the  work  being  again 
polished  to  obliterate 
any  accidental 
scratches,  and  the  ex- 
posed portions  of  the 
design  are  gilded  in 
oil;  when  the  surface 
of  the  wood  is  black, 
any  mistake  or  acci- 
dental slip  of  the  tool 
is  easily  rectified  by 

filling  up  the  cut  with  glue  and  sawdust.     There  are  sev- 
eral methods  adopted  for  transferring  the  design  to  the 


Fig.  160. 


258 


PRACTICAL  WOOD  CARVING 


i;  :* 


i 


EI    ■'. 

••f 


{1 


wood.  We  will  describe  two  and  allow  our  readers  to 
take  their  choice.  One  plan  is  to  trace  the  design  on 
ordinary  tracing  paper  and  then  to  paste  the  tracing 
thus  obtained  on  to  a  piece  of  cardboaril,  leaving  here 
and  there  a  narrow  strip  of  the  cardboard  to  support 
and  keep  the  pattern  together,  as  is  done  in  stencil 
plates.     The  patterns  can  be  cut  out  very  accurately 

with  the  aid  of  the 
carving  tools,  which 
will  be  found  better 
suited  to  this  pur- 
pose than  a  penknife. 
The  cardboard  is  then 
placed  on  the  wood 
and  the  pattern  either 
shown  by  being 
dusted  on  with  a 
"pounce"  composed 
of  whiting  enclosed 
in  a  piece  of  linen, 
or  marked  off  with  a 
needle  point. 

Another  plan, 
which,  if  not  so 
effective,  certainly 
entails  far  less  work, 
is  to  trace  the  design 
on  tracing  paper  and 
then  place  the  tracing  paper  on  the  wood  and  again 
go  over  the  design  with  a  sharp  point  of  ivory, 
which  leaves  a  slight  indentation  on  the  surface  of 
the  polish.  Designs  consisting  simpiv  of  lines  with- 
out broader  ornament  are  incised  i  either  of  the 
methods  shown  in  Fig.  159,  being  cut  with  a  veiner  or 


INCISED.    INTAGLIO,  OR  SUNK  CARVING  259 


a  parting  or  \'  tool.  When,  h«  v(!ver,  the  dcsifjn  is  of 
a  more  complicated  nature,  consisting  of  lines  and 
floral  or  other  ornamentation,  and  it  is  desired  to 
curve  the  surface  of  the  design,  a  different  system  of 
working  must  be  pursued.  The  lines  should  first  be 
cut  with  a  parting  tool,  and  then  set  in  and  regulated 
with  carving  tools  of  the  proper  shape,  after  which 
the  ornament  should  be 
treated  in  thC  same  way  as 
in  the  case  of  a  panel. 
We  have  in  Figs.  159  and 
160  given  examples  of 
both  kinds  of  incised  or- 
nament. 

When  there  arc  straight 
lines  in  a  design,  the 
"scratch"  tool  will  prove 
of  great  service,  but  care 
must  be  taken  in  using  it 
not  to  scratch  the  surface 
of  the  polish. 

The  round  holes  so  often 
seen  in  incised  work  are 
made  by  first  roughly  cut- 
ting with  a  quick  tool  and 
then  regulating  with  "roly- 
polies"  of  various  sizes. 
This    instrument    is    used 

by  being  rapidly  twirled  round  between  the  hands,  and 
is  most  serviceable. 

As  to  the  actual  method  to  be  adopted  in  working 
these  incised  patterns,  some  carvers  adopt  one  plan 
and  some  another;  one  man,  for  instance,  v/ill  go 
roughly  over  the  whole  design  and  then  go  carefully 


Fig.  162. 


11 1  I 

hi' 


I 


I 


.1 


I 


.1 


I^Xi 


I'KACTU  AI.  W(JOD  CARVING 


o\er  it  again  to  tmish  c»ff,  whilst  another  will  finish 
completely  |)i«"cc  bv  piece  of  the  dfsijfn.  In  workini; 
scroll  lines,  it  is  advisabl  toregi.i.ite  the  outlinei  with 
carving  tools,  as  neither  the  parting  tool  nor  veiner 
will  cut  in  every  direction  of  the  grain  so  clean  is  to 

avoiH  ■-tCuSfoi!- 
ally  tearing  the 
wnod.  Where 
the  V  shape  is 
preferred,  all 
the  intricate 
portions  of  the 
design  can  be 
cut  and  finished 
with  the  tools 
alone.  In  in- 
cised work,  it  is 
'Histomarytouse 
arving  tools  of 
the  shape 
known  as 
"spade"  tools, 
probably  owing 
to  the  shape 
being  somewhat 
similar  to  that 
useful  imple- 
ment. 


Fig.   163. 


We  would  strongly  advise  any  of  our  readers  who 
may  feel  inclined  to  try  the  incised  work,  to  avoid 
doing  it  by  gas  or  artificial  light,  as  it  is  very  trying  to 
the  eyes,  and  the  same  remark  holds  good  wifh 
reference  to  ebony  carving.  As  to  the  best  kind  of 
designs  for  incising,   we  think  it  advisable  to  select 


INCLSLI      INTAGflO    OR  S    NK  C.\RVI\G  -'61 


those  r  n posed  chiefly  of  scroll  vr  jlowtng  lines.  All 
incised  wor.;  ' ^ses  offset,  unl'  ss  r  it  care  be  iak«n 
to  have  the  lu»e?i  torrect,  is  )W'i.,}r  to  the  coMtr.ist 
between  tht  !j|.-n ';  aivl  \h  .^oW  'c  sn.alles'  defect  n 
regularity  is  at  uii  r  .ipjart  ■. 

The  h  st  wi.  >(|s  are  those      :v  iii>,  n  firm,  close  ^..lin. 

ici- as  syraniwre     1.  lly  or       ar  ir- c,  all   of   wh  i:h,  m 
..dditiun  'd  b<   ng  rasily  carv^  -i,  .;     »  have  the  advvnii 
tage  ('*' takin-    stain  rca>lily;  1    arse  .1  ml  cross-griinod 
woou  to   )e  avoided,  as  being  unfit  for  this  class  of 

work. 


4 


CHAPTER  VIII 


MISCELLANEOUS    ITEMS 


In  this,  the  closing  chapter,  wc  have  deemed  it 
proper  to  give  a  few  examples  of  finished  work  of 
various  kinds  in  order  to  provide  designs  for  work  the 
young  carver  may  think    proper    to  undertake,   and 

which,  we  feel,  he  can 
execute  now,  after  hav- 
ing followed  the  in- 
structions and  direc- 
tions given  in  the  pre- 
vious chapters. 

The  first  designs  pie- 
sentcd  are  for  crosses, 
suitable  for  church  serv- 
ice; they  may  be  made 
large  or  small  to  suit 
conditions,  or  they  may 
be  made  for  covers  of 
prayer  or  hymn  books, 
or  for  a  dozen  other 
purposes.  The  one 
shown  in  Fig.  i6i  is 
quite  a  plain  one  and 
will  not  prove  a  severe 
tax  on  the  skill  of  the 
workman.  F"ig.  162  is 
somewhat  more  elaborate,  but  simple  in  design  withal 
and  not  difficult  to  execute. 

202 


Fig.   164. 


-SiH^Trs 


MISCELLANEOUS  ITEMS 


263 


Fig.  165. 


264 


PRACTICAL  WOOD  CARVING 


:1 


The  design  shown  in  Fig.  163  is  a  very  pretty  one, 
and  if  the  arms  of  the  cross  are  made  of  ebony,  bog 
oak  or  teak,  and  the  bottom  of  ivory  or  pearl,  it  will 
make  a  very  showy  and  effective  piece  of  work,  but  it 

would    not   be    in 
the  best  of  taste. 

Another  simple 
design  is  shown 
in  Fig.  164.  The 
coils  around  it 
may  be  formed  by 
silver  or  gold  wire. 
In  either  case  the 
complete  work 
would  be  chaste 
and  quite  pretty. 

The  full- page 
design  shown  in 
Fig.  165  is  a  fine 
piece  of  work  and 
would  do  admira- 
bly for  the  cover 
of  a  large  prayer- 
book  or  Bible,  and 
would  not  tax  the 
carver  to  any  great 
extent.  The  clover 
leaves  are  not  diffi- 
cult to  follow,  and  the  lapping  over  would  be  found 
an  easy  matter  after  what  has  gone  before. 

Another  design  for  a  book  cover  is  shown  in  Fig. 
166,  and  one  which  is  sure  to  be  appreciated.  I.  H.  S. 
is  always  in  order  on  covers  of  books  intended  for 
church  service,   and    the    design    shown  is  really  an 


Fig.   i66. 


MISCELLANEOUS  ITEMS 


*5 


266  PRACTICAL  WOOD  CARVING 


I  j 


Pf 
u 


it- 


excellent  one  for  the  purpose,  and  will,  we  are  sure,  be 
made  use  of  by  many  readers  of  this  when  preparing 
Christmas  presents. 


1NTE«10«  HtW  or  CAXVEU  WOOOLS  UOU»LE  OL  ri«  BOORS. 

Fir..    r6S. 

These  examples  of  crosses  are  quite  sufficient   for 
the  present,  and   if  our    readers  desire  other  designs 


MISCELLANEOUS  ITEMS 


267 


they  may  be  found  among  illustrations  shown  in  our 
current  literature,  and  we  would  advise  the  young 
carver  to  be  always  on  the  "lookout"  for  designs  of 


Fig.  iCg. 

all  kinds  that  are  likely  to  become  useful  for  work  he 
may  sometime  have  to  undertake.  It  is  a  good  way 
to   have   a  scrapbook   kept   purposely   for  designs  of 


268  PRACTICAL  WOOD  CARVING 


FiG.    17'). 


MISCELLANEOUS  ITEMS 


269 


carved  work,  and  to  paste  in   it  anything  the  carver 
may  think  will  some  day  be  of  use  to  him. 
The  full-page   designs  of  "Gothic"  ornamentation 


Fig.   171. 

show  almost  ovory  phase  of  Gothic  carved  work,  with 
the  exception  of  figure  carvin4,s  but  this  has  been  well 
set  forth  in  the  chapter  devoted  to  that  style  of  carv- 
ing.    The  six  examples  shown   in   Fig.  167  are  taken 


270 


PRACTICAL  WOOD  CARVING 


from  actual   work,   and  were   drawn  from   "The   Art 
Amateur."     These  will  supply  the  carver  with  almost 

every  motive  he 
may  ever  require 
in  this  peculiar 
style. 

Another    full- 
\i^^-  design,  for  a 
pair    of   doois,    is 
shown  in  Fig.  168. 
This  i;>  in  the  Cin- 
cinnati   s  ;  y  1  e  of 
carving,   a   school 
introduced  some 
years  ago  by  Denn 
Pitman,  and  which 
w  IS  for   a   time 
quite  popular.     It 
u'ill    be  seen    that 
the  architraves  or 
casings,    head 
mouldings,   plinth 
blocks     and     base 
rue  ca"ved,  .is  well 
as  tin,'  doors.  Somr 
of  the   work    done 
by    the    pi'piis    Oi 
Bciiu  pitman   was 
exceed  in  ITU- 
good,  but  trie- 
style,    fror.i 
some  cause 
)r  other,  (Jid 
not    seem  to 


A  little  Carved  Coffee  Table. 

Fig.    172. 


MISCELLANEOUS  ITEMS  271 

"catch  on"  firm  enough  to  stay,  though  some  of  this 
work  IS  still  employed.     The  trouble  with  this  style  of 

work  seems   to   be   a  lack   of   robustness  and   vigor. 

Apart  from  this  lack,  the  style  possesses  many  redeem- 
ing qualities  and  much  refinement,  and  it  is  a  pity  it  is 

not  made  more  use 

of  than  at  present. 
The    d  e  s  i  g  n 

shown  in   Fig.  i6y 

is    intended    for  a 

small    box    that 

may  be    used    for 

gloves,     handker- 
chiefs, jewelry  or 

trinkets   of    a  11  y 

kind.    The  top  fii^ 

nre  shows  the  I  ox 

with  half    t  Ii  e 

carx-cd    front;    the 

lower     d  e  s  i  {,Mi 

shows  the  car\ing 

on  the  lid  or  cover. 

It  will  be  seen  that 

t  h  c  r  e  a  r  e  four 
flaws  supporting 
the  box.  These 
may  be  dispensed 
with  if  desired. 

The  two  examples  shown  in  V\g.  170  exhibit  per- 
forated carved  work,  and  arc  good  cxami)lesof  German 
carving.  They  may  be  used  for  hat  racvS  or  for  key 
boards,  and  may  be  made  lar-cr  or  smaller  to  suit  the 
purpose  for  which  they  are  intended.  There  is  some 
fine  work  on   the   low.  r  design.      In  Fig    i;i  we  show 


173- 


272 


PRACTICAL  WOOD  CARVING 


•  •'in 


Fig.  174. 


a  small  clock  case 
finished  with  simple 
carvings.  This 
piece  of  work  is  well 
within  the  reach  of 
every  one  who  has 
learned  to  use  carv- 
ers' tools. 

The   little    coffee 
table  shown  in  I'ijj. 
172  is  one  that  may 
be    made    at    home 
and  carved  by   any 
carpenter.     The  de- 
sign is  quite  simple. 
In     Fig.    173    we 
show  a  design  for  a 
drawer  front;  this  is 
rather    a   handsome 
piece  of  work. 

The  design  shown 
in  Fig.  174  is  for  a 
carved  table  leg  and 
is  a  vet"y  fine  piece 
of  work.  We  are 
indebted  to  the 
"Woodworker"  for 
this  design  and  some 
others  v/ e  have 
made  use  of,  and 
for  which  we  offer 
our  thanks. 

The  carved  panel 
shown  in    Fig.    175 


Fig.  175. 


!?f 


MISCELLANEOUS  ITEMS 


273 


offers  suggestions  to  the  carver  which,  no  doubt,  he 
will  make  use  of  as  opportunity  occurs. 
The  two  designs  for  borders  shown  in  Fig.  176  may 


Fio.  176. 


be  employed  in  many  situations,  and  require  little  or 
no  explanation,  as  they  speak  for  themselves. 

It  is  quite  "the  thing"  now  to  have  drawer  fronts 


Fig.   177. 


carved,  and  the  two  illustrations  shown  in  Fig.  177 
have  been  designed  for  that  purpose.  Bi)th  aie  admira- 
bly adapted  to  the  purpose  and  are  so  designed   that 


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274  PRACTICAL  WOOD  CARVING 


Fig.  178. 


.«^,nV5-4r  Si' 


MISCELLANEOUS  ITEMS 


275 


but  a  fair  exercise  of  skill  will  be  required  in  their 
execution.  We  commend  these  to  our  readers  as 
being  excellent  examples  for  the  puro'ise  designed. 

The  corner  cupboard    shown   in    Fig.    178  exhibits 
some  elaborate  carvings,  and  while  it  appears  to  be 


Fig.   179. 

rather  overdone,  it  offers  an  opportunity  for  exercise 
that  few  pieces  of  furniture  can  afford.  The  plain 
cupboard  in  itself  is  a  very  simple  affair,  but  the 
carver's  chisel  has  added  much  to  its  value  and 
appearance. 


276 


PRACTICAL  WOOD  CARVING 


One  of  the  first  ambitions  of  a  young  carver  is  to  be 
able  to  carve  a  photo  frame,  and  to  satisfy  this  lauda- 
ble ambition  Wv:  present  a  few  designs  for  this  purpose. 
The  one  shown  in  Fig.  179  is  a  very  simple  affair,  but 


Fig.  180. 


is  quite  effective  when  the  work  is  neatly  done.  The 
frame  shown  in  Fig.  180  is  a  much  more  pretentious 
one  and  requires  a  lot  of  labor  to  make  it  look  well, 
but  it  is  so  arranged  that  it  can  be  made  large  enough 
to  take  i'.  pictures  of  any  reasonable  size.     It  would 


mm 


MISCELLANEOUS  ITEMS 


277 


answer  very  nicely  '  ^  a  mirror  frame  or  for  a  fine 
steel  engraving  or  eiching.  It  is  a  very  nice  piece  of 
work    and    requires  some  fine    handling    to  make   it 


-^^ 


Fig.  i3i. 


effective.  The  wheat  ears  in  this  example,  shown  in 
Fig.  181,  and  the  one  following  are  worth  carefully 
attending  to,  as  they  are  constantly  introduced  into 
woodwork;  and  being  solid,  and  forming  good  masses 


278 


PRACTICAL  WOOD  CARVING 


FlG.'lS2. 


^  ?^iV«!Vi>  »yr-?--"%^t»  ;.r;:«fcfi*. 


MISCELLANEOUS   ITEMS 


279 


of  light  and  shade,  are  very  suitable  tor  relief  to  foli- 
age. '•  irst  chisel  out  the  shape  of  the  whole  ear,  with- 
out considering  each  separate  grain;  round  it  well  and 
see  t;.at  the  relief  is  good;  then  draw  on  the  wood  with 
a  soft  pencil  the  outline  of  the  grains,  or,  if  uncertain, 
trace  them  on  soft  paper  and  paste  it  on  the  surface  of 
the  ear  (the  carver,  of  course,  does  not  usj  th'-  design 
to  work  upon,  but  traces  from  it,  so  that  he  can  always 


Fig.  183. 

refer  to  his  model);  then,  when  dry,  chisel  out  each 
grain  carefully,  giving  it  a  good  rounded  surface  with  a 
well-defined  form,  and  you  will  be  surprised  with  the 
results. 

The  same  remarks  will  answer  for  the  working  of  the 
design  shown  in  Fig.  182. 

The  two  pediments  shown  in  Fig.  1S3  may  be  classed 
as  "architectural"  carving,  and  are  given  here  merely 
to    show  what  an    immense    field  there  is  lying  open 


!iirSI*fi^ir:        — 


280  PRACTICAL  WOOD  CARVING 

for  the  younfr  man  who  is  determined  to  follow  this 
art  as  a  business.  Indeed,  there  is  no  limit  to  this 
branch  of  decorative  art,  as  there  is  nothing  made  of 
wood  or  stone  where  the  carver's  chisel  may  not  be 

employed  to  en- 
hance the  value 
and  the  beauty  of 
the  work. 

In  conclusion, 
we  add  two  exam- 
ples of  carved 
chair  backs  that 
are  simple  in  de- 
sign and  which 
may  be  employed 
in  decorating 
chairs  now  in  u«e 
(see  Fig.  184). 

In  closing  th  j 
volume,  I  think  it 
but  fair  to  say  that 
I  have  drawn 
largely  from  the 
best  authorities  on 


Figs.  184  and  185. 


the  subject,  to  which  I  have  added  the  results  of  my  own 
experience,  which  is  somewhat  extended,  and  I  think, 
after  looking  over  the  book  and  carefully  noting  both 
text  and  illustrations,  my  efforts  to  make  a  useful  and 
instructive  book  on  the  "Art  of  Wood  Carving"  have 
not  been  altogether  in  vain,  and  I  sincerely  hope  my 
readers  will  derive  as  much  benefit  from  it  as  will 
enable  them  to  not  only  carve  in  wood,  but  also  give 
them  a  fair  knowledge  of  the  art  of  designing  subjects 
suitable  to  any  work  in  carving  they  may  undertake. 


INDEX 


Acorn  and  oak  leaves,  173. 
Acorn  Rroiip,  244. 
Actual  work,  74. 
Alteration,  133. 
American  oak,  66. 
Ancient  capital,  IH2. 
Ancient  figure-carver,  201. 
Angle  cupl)oard,  236. 
Angle  for  cutting  hard  wood,  43. 
Angle  for  cutting  soft  wood,  43. 
Angular  panel,  9S. 
Animal  figures,  124. 
Antique  carving,  11. 'j. 
Antique  panel,  116. 
Apple  branch  panel    191. 
Arabian  carvings,  119. 
Arcliitectural  (!ir\iiig,  279. 
Architectural  ornament,  246. 
Austrian  oak,  66. 

B 

Backgrounds,  185. 

Balance  and  proportion,  129. 

Benches,  26. 

Bench-hook,  59 

Bent  tools,  79. 

Berry  carvings,  17S. 

Itook  cover  carvings,  257. 

Book  panel,  110. 

Border  and  star  designs,  102. 

Border  ornament,  99. 

Borders,  273. 

Boxwood,  64. 

Bracelet,  254. 

Brooches,  carved,  253. 

Bunch  of  berries,  151. 

Bunch  of  grapes,  245. 

Byzantine  border,  1S3. 

Byzantine  carvings,  183. 

C 

Cabinet  doors,  231. 
Cabinet,  for  corner,  274. 
Capital  of  column.  1,S2. 


28i 


Carpentei-s'  oarving,  14. 
Carved  bracelets,  254,  268. 
Carved  box  front,  1 17. 
Carved  brooches,  253. 
Carved  ca.sket,  267. 
Carved  clock  case,  269. 
Carved  coffee  table,  270, 
Carved  doorway,  2<i6. 
Carvetl  riionojiinni,  114. 
Carved  ornaincnis,  272. 
Carved  panel,  271. 
Carved  wreath,  1S8. 
Carvers'  appliances,  IS. 
Carvers'  tools,  17. 
Carving   an    apple   tree   panel, 

Carving  an  eagle,  2().S. 

Carving  benches,  26. 

Carving  fruit,  2.3N. 

Carving  generally,  23. 

Carving  in  panels,  234. 

Carvitig  phnns,  17.S. 

Carving  proper,  120. 

Celtic  carving,  lis. 

Ciiair  larvings,  2S(). 

Chapter  on  carved  cro.sses,  260. 

Chip  carving,  7S. 

Chip  carving  design,  94. 

Church  work,  265. 

Circular  design,  95. 

Circular  panels,  113. 

Clamps,  54. 

Cleanliness  in  work,  30. 

Clock  ca.se,  269. 

Contrast,  136. 

Corner  design,  98. 

Cro.sses,  2.'>9. 

Curious  old  carving,  241. 

Curved  notches,  82 

Curves  of  tools,  24. 

Cutting  edges,  4fc. 

Cutting  knife,  80. 

Deep  gouges.  79. 


w*t 


r  •/.«afr-aw?-a''WiE'  '•acj'sr::s»>4-.-fiWT» 


282 


INDEX 


DesTiption    of    PtilnrRinK    de- 

sijfti,  22(1. 
DeNiffii  !>>•  I'asy  -(tfps,  102. 
Design,  coriiof     raiitft.   111. 
DpsiRii  for  a  h'ctcrn,  2()S. 
DphIkii  for  liordcrM,  il»>. 
DcsiRii     for     Hvzaiitine    work, 

1S3. 
Dt'siKii  for  carved  l)ook  cover, 

24<). 
De.sigii  for  chip  carving.  90. 
Design   for  circular  oriiaiiicut, 

9.5. 
Design  for  crescent  ornament, 

93. 
Design  for  flat  carving,  109. 
Design  for  mask,  122. 
Design  for  picture  frame,  275. 
Design  for  tahle  top,   107. 
Designing  figures,   142. 
Design  in  intaglio,  24S. 
Design  of  a  l)ear,  243. 
Designs  for  (al)inet  doors,  231. 
Designs  for  corners,  97. 
Designs  for  door  car\ings,  229. 
D'signs  for  grapevine  carving, 

237. 
Designs  for  small  panel,  73. 
'designs  of  borders  and  panel.s, 

112. 
.'^.agrains  for  carving,  149. 
Directions  for  cutting,  89. 
Directions  for  sharpening  tools, 

4H. 
Dolphin  design,  122. 
Door  carvings,  2.30. 
Dragons  and  other  figures,  124. 
Dragon  panel,  l.'ifi. 
Drawer  fronts,  273. 
Drawings  for  carvings,  223. 

E 

Eagle  lecte'    ,  208. 
Earrings,  carving,  253. 
Ebony,  62. 

Elaborate  panel,  Ij  j. 
Emerv  powder,  49. 
Englisii  oak,  65. 
English   Renais.sance,  126. 
Enlarging  designs,  218. 
Even  distribution,  167. 


P 

Figiire  earver*  genrrallv,  2f)2. 

Figure  curving  in  rchef,  200. 

Figure  carvings,  r.'2. 

Fi'.nire  of  an  owl,  197. 

Fine  carving,  121. 

Finished  panel,  147. 

Fitness,  137. 

Flat    .\ral  ian    carving,    118. 

Flat  carving,  103. 

Foliage  ca|iital,  1H2. 

Foliage  in  panel,  163. 

Foreign  work,  183. 

Forms  of  borders,  132. 

Frame,  275. 

Fruit  carving,  2.38. 

Furniture  carving,  165. 

G 

Gothic  designs,  103,  265. 
Gothic  Henaissance    126. 
(Jouges  and  chisels,  21. 
Grapevine  pattern,  237. 
(Jrotesque  figures,  124. 
Gum  wood,  93. 

H 

Hag's  tooth,  .59. 

Hand  screws,  ,53. 

Hexagon  work,  139. 

Hold-fasts,  27. 

How  to  i)uild  up  work,  145. 

How  to  carve  an  eagle,  208. 

How  to  cut    for  chip  carvinz, 

92. 
How  to  liandh   tool.s,  72. 
Human  figure  c  rving,  125. 


Illustrated  instructions  in  chip 

carving,  91. 
Improving  taste,  216. 
Incised  work,  245. 
Indian  carving,  136. 
Instructions  for  carving,  90. 
Instructions  in  tool  u.sing,  157. 
Introduction,  9. 
Italian  walnut,  66. 
Ivorv,  6,5. 

Tvv  le.if  panel.  240. 
Ivy  leaves,  U2. 


INDEX 


283 


Leaf  (In-dRn,  112. 

L♦•Hve^^  axnl  plants,  170. 

Lt'tt.T,   111. 

LiRht,  J:*. 

M 

Mahogany,  67. 

Mal.iv  rarviiiK,  Sfi. 

Mullt't.x,  :u. 

Maii.'inf'itioiit  of  oilnUnip.s,  .'57. 

Mnrfriii><,  7r>. 

MarkiiiK  kiiifp,  80. 

Mas-siiifi  the  work,  H.3. 

Method  of  desiijii,  SS,  |f,,3. 

Metliod  of  holding:  niidlft,  32. 

Method  of  holding  tools,  50. 

Metluxl  of  rcdiKiiiR  or  enlarg- 
ing design.s,  21S. 

Method  of  >liarpening  tools,  .5.'). 

Methods   of   laving   out    work, 
141. 

Methods  of  proeedure,  16S. 

Miscellaneous  designs,  100. 

Modeling,  207. 

Monogram.  114.  204. 

Monogram  for  hook  cover,  240. 

\ 

\afiirai  forms,  169. 
Natural  1«  (ve«,  1S2. 
\   Mir*'  !i       od  guide,  100. 


Oak,  fi.5. 
Oak  I,.    . 
Oct.-iu'oi 

Oilsluh 

Old  wo 
Opera  ti 
Order  ih 
Oriental  1 
Owl  figur<" 
Owl  in  wooi 


O 

itid  arorn.i. 

■  srs,  1  s 


71 

167. 
,  130. 


173. 


'7. 


Panel  compiet 
Panel  for       a- 
Panel  in  renai- 
Panel  of  leaves. 
Panel  of  sea  l.ar 
Panel  with  drag.. 


47. 


U.s 

'  is. 


Panels  for  cahinets,  231. 
Panels  for  doors,  221). 
Paper  knife  liarulles,   102. 
Picture  frame  dc  ^igns,  270,  277. 
Pine,  0-1. 

Pl.ints  and  leaves,  170. 
Plum  tree  branches,  17S. 
Practical  designs,  141. 
Pr:iver  l.o-A  cover,  263. 
I'reface.  .I. 
Punch  faces,  25. 
I'uiiclies,  24. 

II 

iiadiation,  1.34. 

Heal  work,  74. 

Hcflucinj;  (U-signs,  217. 

Helicf  carving,  200. 

Hepctition  and  alteration.  131. 

HeiKJsf.  13S. 

I{il)l)on  carving,  11,S. 

Hi  filer,  .')!). 

Rounded  berries,  151. 

Uoimded  carvings,  120. 

Hound  carxing,  17.S. 

Hound  mallets,  33. 

Hound  panel,  113. 

S 
Sandalwood,  63. 
Savage  styles,  S4. 
Screw  hold-fasts,  .53. 
Scriptural  (piotation,  202. 
Sea  horse  panel,  199. 
Sections  for  berry  carving,  180. 
Sections  for  car\  ing,  239. 
Sections  for  door  panels,  2.30. 
Sections  for  work.  1.53. 
Sections  of  carved  panels,  234. 
Sections  1     larvings,  178. 
.Sections       cut  work,  154. 
.Section.-     ,  tools.  77. 
Sections  of  work.  75. 
.Series  of  designs,  99 
Serpent  carving,   192. 
Several  desiens  for  borders,  97. 
Shamrock  carving,  109. 
Shamrock  panel,   175. 
.Sharpening  tools,  38. 
.Simple  design.  7.3. 
Stnple  panel.   (74. 
Siiiplicitv,  139. 


284 


INPEX 


SpnfulrrI  pittorn,  lOS. 
Nix  wotliif  l>or<l«T».  103. 
Mix  poiiitfd  N»ar,  M7. 
Sizt'H  of  iiiall*'t>*,  :i'2. 
Slips,  how  to  Hliarpoii.   10. 
Siiiall  tools  for  fiiH'  tnr\iun,25\. 
Soiiii'  Arahiiiii  work,  lO.I. 
SoiiH'  oWl  carviiijr,  204. 
-'oiiu'  old  work,  1S4. 
Siiiido  tool,  LV). 

SpillU.sl)     ciM'StlHlt,    ()2. 

Spot  cnrvmg,  7H. 
Souare  II i:i lifts,  '.V2. 
Stfiii-  of  l>raii^'li«'s,  15.1. 
Slra|)  earxiii^.'    .  '7. 
Strap  panoliiiK.  174. 
Stvifs  in   Hniai.ssanc*',  120. 
StvU'.s  of  carving,  83. 
Stvlps  of  tlu-  civilized,  85. 
Suitability,  171. 
Sunflower  design,  107 
Surface  carxinns,  101. 
Swiss  carvinc,  242. 
Sycamore,  02. 
Symmetry,  133. 

T 

Tabouret  top,  106. 
TeBtiiiK  tools,  45. 


Tbp  evolution  of  n  drtiiKn,  162. 

Tlu«  grain  of  \ww)d,  t'H. 

Tlif  gntlin  in  .irt,  1.10. 

The  kind  of  ruts  to  innkc,  15R 

Three  sided  panel,  OS. 

Two     esigus  for  chip  carving. 


Variety  and  contrast,  136. 
N'arious  designs,  238. 
Various  tools,  23. 
VeinitiR  tools,  40. 
V  tools,  23. 

W 

Walking-eane  head,  242. 

VVa\e  patt-rns,  232. 

Whitewood,  t>,5. 

Wood  benches,  26. 

Wood  carving,  22. 

Woocl  hold-down,  .16. 

Woods,  00. 

Working  the  grain  of  the  wood. 

67. 
Workmg  yellow  pine,  69. 
Work  in  in  iglio,  148. 
Wreath  ca       ig,  188. 


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NOTICE 


To  the  many  workmen  who  are  purchasing  the  publications  unde-  the 
authorship  of  Fred  T.  H<><.  -son,  and  who  we  feel  sure  have  been  benefited 
by  his  excel  ,ut  treatises  n  many  Carpentry  and  Building  subjects,  we 
desire  to  Inform  them  that  the  following  list  of  books  have  been  published 
since  1903,  thereby  making  them  strictly  up-to-date  In  every  detail.  All  of 
the  newer  books  bearing  the  Imprint  of  Frederick  J.  Drake  &  Co.  are  modern 
In  every  respect  and  of  a  purely  self-educailonal  character,  expressly  Issued 
for  Home  Study . 

PRACTICAL  USES  OF  THE  STEEL  SQUARE,  two  volumes,  over  800 
pages,  including  100  perspective  views  and  floor  plans  of  medium- 
priced  houses.  Cloth,  two  volumes,  price  $2.00.  Half  leather, 
price  $3.00. 

UODBRN  CARPENTRY  AND  JOINERY,  300  pages,  including  50  house 
plans,  perspective  views  and  floor  plans  of  medium  and  low-cost 
houses.    Cloth,  price  $1.00.    Half  leather,  price  $1.60. 

BUILDERS'  ARCHITECTURAL  DRAWINO  SELF-TAUGHT,  over  »C 
pages,  Including  50  house  plans.  Cloth,  price  $3.00.  Half  leather, 
price  $3.00. 

MODERN  ESTIMATOR  AND  CONTRACTOh,S'  OUIDE,  for  pricing  build- 
ers' work,  3,tO  pages,  including  60  house  plans.  Cloth,  price  $1.60. 
Half  leather,  price  $3.00. 

MODERN  LOW-COST  AMERICAN  HOMES,  over  200  pages.  Cloth,  ice 
$1.00.    Half  leather,  price  $1.60. 

PRACTICAL  UP-TO-DATE  HARDWOOD  FINISHER,  over  300  pages. 
Cloth,  price  $1,00.    Half  Leather,  price  $1.60. 

COMMON  SENSE  STAIR  BUILDINO  AND  HANDRAILINQ,  over  2.50 
pages,  including  perspective  views  and  floor  plans  of  .50  medium-priced 
houses.    Cloth,  price  $1.00.    Half  leather,  price  $1.60. 

STONEMASONS'  AND  BRICKLAYERS'  OUIDE,  over  800  pages.    Cloth, 

price  91.60.    Half  leather,  price  $2.00. 
PRACTICAL  WOOD  CARVINO,  over  200  pages.    Cloth,  price  $1.60.    Half 

leather,  price  $3.00. 

Sold  by  booksellers  generally,  or  sent,  all  charges  paid,  upon  receipt  of 
price,  to  any  address  in  the  world 

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Publishers 

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